


Entwined

by Chrysalin



Series: Time Travel Trouble [3]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Murder, F/M, Kidnapping, Minor Character Death, Multi, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 08:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 66,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19247494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrysalin/pseuds/Chrysalin
Summary: Chibiusa is back, with the Black Moon Clan hot on her heels. Can the Senshi stop them when Usagi is dying from Mamoru's ill-planned breakup plan?





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in the process of copying old stories over from Fanfiction.

Usagi raced home after class to change – she and Mamoru had plans for the rest of the afternoon and she didn’t want to go in her school uniform. Her dad tried protesting as she left to meet her boyfriend, but her mother cut him off, saying she’d already given permission and warning him not to ruin it for their daughter. Said girl slipped out as they argued.

 

It was a gorgeous day. She and Mamoru strolled casually to the lake, and he rowed them to the center for some privacy. She tripped getting out of the boat afterwards, but he caught her. They shared a tender kiss there on the dock. 

 

From there, things became… odd. A pink-haired child fell from the sky just like before, hitting the blonde before rolling onto her boyfriend. They both stared, recognizing her at once. 

 

“Give me the Silver Crystal!” she demanded.

 

That snapped them out of their shock. “Chibiusa!” they said in unison.

 

She paused, caught off-guard. “No...” She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. “You shouldn’t recognize me. Puu said.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Mamoru drawled. “We do. Could you let us up?”

 

The little girl scrambled to the side as they got to their feet, brushing themselves off. “Anyway. No, I’m not giving you the Silver Crystal,” Usagi said firmly.

 

She pouted, and for a moment Usagi thought she was looking at a younger version of herself, albeit with pink hair. “But I need it!”

 

Mamoru knelt so he was on her level. “We understand that, but Usako can’t just hand it over. It belongs to her. You have to tell us what’s wrong so we can help.”

 

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to work!”

 

“Humor us,” Usagi suggested. “What’s going on, sweetheart?”

 

Something in her tone or posture set the child off. She began sobbing. “It’s Mama!” she cried. “Bad people hurt Mama and I need the crystal to save her!”

 

Mamoru and Usagi shared an alarmed look. “Chibiusa-chan, why don’t I already have the Silver Crystal? I mean, why doesn’t she?”

 

She kept crying, and Mamoru caught her in a tight hug. “Okay, we won’t talk now.” He looked up at his girlfriend.” I’d offer to let her stay with me, but I’m not home enough to help.”

 

“Let’s go to your apartment for the time being,” Usagi suggested. “We can figure out what to do once we’re alone.”

 

He nodded and they began making their way to his place. “I’m sorry,” he said after several minutes’ silence. “I guess we’re not going out for dinner.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” she answered. “It’s not important now.”

 

They managed to get to an empty elevator when they hit the lobby. Usagi breathed a sigh of relief, since it would’ve been hard to explain them being seen with a kid. They needed a cover story. Mamoru settled Chibiusa in his bed while the younger teen put on water for tea. He came out quietly, shutting the door behind him. She was about to say something, but he suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. 

 

“What’s that for?” she asked as he let go.

 

He stared into the distance for a moment. “Things won’t be the same after this. Not just a battle, something else. I can’t explain.” Pulling out a pan, he gathered the ingredients for stir fry and added the beef once the pan was hot. She started some rice, one of the few things she could do in a kitchen without causing a fire. “Something needs to be done about Chibiusa. She’ll attract trouble if only because she’s young and won’t have control of her magic yet.”

 

“That’s not all,” Usagi sighed. “She’ll need protection. She’s not from this time, so she has no papers, no ID, no family except us.”

 

“We’ve seen her do things with the toy she carries. It could help. Pluto wouldn’t have let her time-travel without some sort of safety net, would she?”

 

She shook her head. “There must be a way for Chibiusa to fit in. Given our resemblance, she could easily be related to me. Then my mom could take care of her.”

 

The vegetables went in. “That’s our best chance. We’re in for a fight, aren’t we?”

 

“It depends on how long we can keep her calm.”

 

The bedroom door opened and Chibiusa walked in. “I’m hungry.”

 

Mamoru turned off the burner. “You’re just in time. Dinner’s ready.” He separated the food onto three plates and passed them out. Chibiusa stared at it for a moment before eating. “Chibiusa-chan, is there anything else we should know? Are you in trouble?” he asked.

 

She nodded. “The bad people tried to catch me, but the Senshi made sure I got away. Puu sent me here; she told me you could help.” The little girl stared at them for a long time. “You’re Mama and Papa, Puu said. Are you really?”

 

“I think so,” Mamoru responded. “We didn’t know until we heard it from Pluto, but you have Usako’s name. That ball is the spitting image of her cat.”

 

“What does your mother look like?” the blonde asked.

 

“She’s beautiful! She wears a pretty white gown and has a crescent moon on her forehead and really long hair.”

 

“Does she wear her hair like mine?” Chibiusa nodded. “And the moon, it’s gold and opens up, right?” Another nod. Usagi focused on the Silver Crystal in her brooch but didn’t reveal it. Her crescent flashed for a moment. “Like this?”

 

“You are Mama!” she exclaimed, throwing herself into the teen’s lap. “What about Papa? Is he Papa?”

 

Mamoru grinned. “Let me guess… He really likes roses and wears a mask?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

_ Why would you assume you wear a mask in the future? _

 

He shrugged.  _ It seemed reasonable. I don’t know why. _ He became Tuxedo Kamen. “Something like this?”

 

She tilted her head. “Not quite… The colors are wrong.”

 

“I’m sure your father had some growing to do before he became your father,” Usagi said briskly. “And if Puu was right about me, wouldn’t she be right about him?”

 

Everyone let the subject drop after that. Chibiusa turned on the television as her future parents retreated back to the kitchen. They were trying to make plans, but there wasn't much to go on. Usagi glanced at her watch once they'd discussed the little they knew. "I should take Chibiusa home." She raised her voice a little. "Chibiusa-chan?"

 

She came in looking exhausted. "Yes, Mama?"

 

"Do you have any way to create an identity for yourself? You need to go to school, and most of my family can't know who you really are."

 

She held up her toy. "This is Luna-P. Puu taught me how to convince people they know me. I can make everyone think I'm your cousin."

 

"Great!" Usagi exclaimed. "If you're my cousin, we should act like it. It's okay to be nice or call me Mama if we're alone or with people I say you can trust, but the rest of the time we should argue or something. Can you do that?"

 

"Yes," she said quietly, "but I don't want to. I want you to like me!"

 

Mamoru lifted her for a hug. "Of course she likes you, but we're trying to protect you. You need to be a normal little girl."

 

Chibiusa finally agreed, but she didn't want to let him go. In the end they decided to walk to Usagi's house together. One could stay with Chibiusa while the other explained. Once there, Usagi realized her father was out – probably on assignment. Shingo had plans with a friend. The explanations could be made just to Ikuko and Luna.

 

"Mama! Luna! I'm home!"

 

Her mom stepped into view, wiping her hands on a towel. "Welcome back. Who's this?"

 

The petite teen was completely unsure of how to begin. "Mama, this is… Um…"

 

Mamoru took pity on her and stepped in. "Usako said she told you about us, right? Well, this is Chibiusa-chan. She's from the future."

 

"Chibiusa?" Ikuko repeated. "Usagi mentioned her, but never said who she was."

 

The little girl hopped down from Mamoru's arms to introduce herself. "I'm Tsukino Usagi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

 

This was even more awkward than she expected. "She's my daughter,” Usagi explained hurriedly. “Or at least she'll be my daughter sometime in the future. I don't know when." It was frankly a problem she was nowhere near prepared to think about.

 

"I'm from the thirtieth century," Chibiusa piped in.

 

"Thirtieth century," Ikuko repeated faintly. Usagi felt the same. "Of course."

 

"Mama, she has to stay with us," said Usagi worriedly. "She needs to be protected."

 

That seemed to anchor her mom. "She's in trouble."

 

Usagi nodded. "Something happened in her time and she barely got away. We can deal with whatever it was later. Right now she needs somewhere safe to stay. She can create a cover for herself; everyone will think she's my cousin."

 

The older woman reached for Chibiusa. "So you'll be my grandchild someday?" she asked with a smile. "Imagine, my baby having a baby. You look just like her at that age."

 

Chibiusa leaned into the hug. "You like me?"

 

"Oh, you poor girl, just because the bad guys did some terrible things doesn't mean that people won't like you. I like you. I'm sure Usagi-chan likes you, and Mamoru-san. Don't let what happened upset you."

 

Chibiusa turned against Ikuko's chest and cried, which oddly enough was a relief. She'd been too calm for a child going through so much. Once she stopped, Ikuko passed her to Mamoru and gestured her daughter over to the side.

 

"Let's get the attic cleaned up. There's a bed up there, and enough old things of yours to make it comfortable. Has she eaten?"

 

"Yes. Why don't you stay with her? I can take care of the room. You should introduce Chibiusa to Luna; she'll need to be with her as often as possible."

 

"All right. You would know how to make her feel at home more than I would."

 

Usagi shook her head. "I don't know anything about her, and she won’t talk about what happened." She sighed, brushing her fringe back in annoyance. "I'll see what I can do."

 

It took some work since the attic was rarely used, but finally she was satisfied she'd done the best she could for the night. Chibiusa was bound to be tired. The teen headed back down, scooping the little girl’s sleeping form from her mother's arms and trekking up the stairs once more to tuck her in. She seemed to have slept through the whole thing, but she reached for Usagi when she went to leave.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Usagi sat on the side of her bed. “You don’t have to thank me, Chibiusa-chan. Even if you weren’t my daughter I’d help you. Get some sleep; we can talk more tomorrow.”

 

She was asleep before her future mother even got to the door. The blonde smiled before rejoining Ikuko and Mamoru in the living room. “She’s out like a light.”

 

“Good,” he said. “I was worried about her. She’s so young.”

 

“About five, I think. Mama?”

 

The older woman nodded. “Judging by her size and behavior, that seems about right. Usagi-chan, what kind of person would be trying to hurt a little girl?”

 

“I don’t know. It could be because of Mamo-chan and I; maybe we have more enemies in the future. When they make their move I’ll see what I can find out.”

 

Ikuko headed to the kitchen, saying something about baking so Chibiusa could have a treat in the morning. Usagi glanced at Mamoru, exhausted. He opened his arms and let her burrow close. “We’ll be okay,” he murmured against her hair. “So it’s another fight and a little girl caught in the crossfire. We’ll deal with it.”

 

“I hope you’re right,” she responded. “Mamo-chan, she’s our daughter. What if this is happening to her because of us?”

 

“Does the why matter?” he asked. “It’s happening. There’s no reason to attack a child, no matter who their parents are. If anything, they sealed their fate trying to hurt someone we love.”

 

“I guess,” she sighed, drawing back. “I’m tired, and you must be too. Go home. I’ll call a meeting tomorrow at the shrine.”

 

He kissed her before getting to his feet. “I’ll see you then, Usako.” She walked him to the door and gave him one last hug before he left. He’d just reached the sidewalk when he looked back. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Mamo-chan. Good night.”

 

88888888

 

It was Tuesday, but there was no school due to teacher conferences. As soon as Chibiusa was up and fed by her somewhat overzealous grandma, Usagi pulled out her communicator and ordered the Senshi to Hikawa Shrine. Kunzite and Mamoru had each been given one during the battles with the Cardians, saving her any further hassle. Chibiusa went along without a word. It was unsettling, but she decided Chibiusa was only trying to deal with everything. Hopefully seeing the others would give her more pep. 

 

When they reached the temple no one had arrived yet. Rei, who was taking care of her chores, told Usagi she’d join them as soon as she was done and suggested they wait in her room. Usagi let Chibiusa play outside instead, though she was warned to stay where she could be seen. She sat on the grass, toying with the ball that looked so much like Luna. The real one had gone to meet Artemis and Minako. 

 

The teen had just opened one of Rei’s comics when she heard Chibiusa cry out. The little girl had fallen and skinned her knee. Seeing her tears, Usagi hurried to check on her. A blinding flash lit the area, sending a beam straight up. She could barely think, entirely caught off guard. The reaction was familiar; as a child, Princess Serenity had been prone to the same thing. If anyone was looking… Well, no doubt the light could be seen for kilometers. 

 

“Chibiusa!” Usagi called as she wrapped her in her arms. “Sweetheart, you have to calm down. You’re all right; I’m here. It’s not so bad.”

 

The tears came harder. “I want Mama and Papa and Puu! I wanna go home!”

 

“Oh, honey, I understand,” she said in the most soothing tone she could. “Really, I do. You need to be strong, though. Can you be brave until we ask Puu to take you home?”

 

“I found you, Rabbit!”

 

Chibiusa shuddered, and Usagi’s gaze snapped up. A strange woman was atop a brick wall nearby. She was wearing a pink and blue striped bodysuit with a purple skirt. Her purple hair pointed like cat’s ears. Most notable was the inverted black moon on her forehead. 

 

“It’s time for you to die,” the new arrival continued. 

 

“Who are you?” Usagi demanded angrily.

 

“My name is Koan. I am the youngest of the four Spectre sisters.”

 

That told her absolutely nothing useful. “It doesn’t matter who you are. You have no right to harm a child!”

 

She glared at the blonde. “If you’re going to stand in my way, I’ll kill you too!” The newcomer shot blue flames at her. Usagi ducked, and Chibiusa ran while they were distracted. Koan turned to go after her.

 

Usagi hoped Chibiusa was fast. She needed those precious seconds. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!” As she finished transforming, Sailor Moon heard Chibiusa scream, and it didn’t take a genius to know she was hurt. “Stop right there!” the heroine ordered as she reached them. Chibiusa was on the ground, clutching her toy. Koan turned to face her challenger. “Trying to hurt an innocent child! I’ll never forgive you! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!”

 

“I don’t know who you think you are, but you won’t stop me. DARK FIRE!”

 

A rain of blue flames surrounded her before roaring higher to form a fiery wall. Through it, Sailor Moon watched Koan advance on Chibiusa, who was too tired to run again. Glancing around, she realized the ring wasn’t complete – one side was an actual wall. 

 

Koan extended one hand to burn Chibiusa to a crisp as the Moon Senshi acted. She threw herself off of the wall at the taller woman, knocking her into the dirt with her crossed arms as she landed in a protective crouch in front of the little girl. The teen was ready to grab Chibiusa and make a run for it, but a rose arced between them. For once, Tuxedo Kamen didn’t have a sappy speech to share – he just glared ominously as he picked up his daughter. Satisfied she was safe, the blonde focused on Koan. 

 

Her rod appeared. “MOON PRINCESS HALATION!”

 

It seemed successful, but then they heard her voice from the roof of one of the shrine’s outbuildings, the usual speech of a defeated villain about coming back. She teleported away, and Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon turned to Chibiusa. She was curled up against him, holding his vest in a death grip. For an instant, the heroine saw a gleaming crystal city. The vision moved in, focusing on a spire in the center, but then it vanished. She glanced up in shock, her expression mirrored on Mamoru’s face as they powered down. 

 

“What was that?” he breathed.

 

Usagi shook her head. “Whatever it was, I saw it too. Is that where she’s from?”

 

“Usagi! Mamoru-san!” Mars raced over. “Sorry I took so long. I was with Grandpa and Yuuichiro, and Yuuichiro thought I’d get hurt. It took till now to get away. What happened?” She let her transformation fade.

 

Mamoru took Chibiusa inside as his girlfriend explained what had happened. Rei wasn’t surprised, but she looked sad all the same. “Are they really after her? Why?”

 

“I don’t know,” the blonde said with a sigh. “Koan never said.”

 

“Did you learn anything else?”

 

“That she was the youngest of the four Spectre sisters. I assume we’ll come up against the rest too, or she wouldn’t mention them.”

 

She agreed. “Four at least, but this Koan is acting under orders. The aura didn’t belong to a magic user strong enough to time travel without Pluto. Someone’s pulling the strings.”

 

Usagi watched as Mamoru took a seat next to Chibiusa, who was sleeping on Rei’s bed. “What could they want with her?”

 

88888888

 

“It’s you,” Makoto said once the meeting started. “It has to be. She came back looking for the Silver Crystal after someone hurt her mother, didn’t she?”

 

Ami sighed. “Usagi-chan… She’s your daughter, right? If she is, she can use the crystal. She’s looking for it, and they’re searching for her. Maybe they’re worried about what’ll happen if she gets it.”

 

“So we have a young girl with rampant magic she can’t control,” Rei summed up. “When she gets upset, our enemy will know exactly where she is. Upshot, we will too. On the other hand, they can teleport and we can’t. This doesn’t look good.”

 

Makoto grimaced, trying to lighten the mood. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I didn’t know being a Senshi involved babysitting.”

 

88888888

 

Chibiusa was special, according to her parents-to-be. She was very clever for a child her age, which Usagi attributed to Mamoru. She had good people instincts – doubtless her mother’s influence. Still, she took the role of annoying cousin a little far. Usagi thought if her nightmares didn’t drive her crazy, the constant flip between sweet daughter and demonic cousin would do it. After one of their false arguments Chibiusa stormed off, but Usagi saw tears in the child’s eyes. She raced after her as soon as she could, calling Mamoru. He found her first. She was in the park – not their safe clearing, but the playground. The little girl was sitting on a swing, holding Luna-P. He hadn’t gone to her yet, waiting so they could handle it together. Mamoru laid his hand on her shoulder as Usagi crouched by her. 

 

“Chibiusa-chan,” she began, “what’s wrong?”

 

She seemed calm, but her unhappiness still showed behind the smile. “It’s nothing,” she muttered, wiping away the remnants of her tears.

 

“It’s all right if you want to talk, Chibiusa-chan,” Mamoru said. “It can help.”

 

The child stared into the distance. “I don’t know if I can. Puu says the future is flexible and I could accidentally change it.”

 

“We at least need to know what happened,” Usagi replied. “Why are those people coming for you, Chibiusa-chan?”

 

She sighed. “I never told you who I really am. My name is Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity, and I’m the only heir to the throne of Crystal Tokyo. My parents are Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion.”

 

What she said, what it implied, threw Usagi off. “Queen?” Knowing she had stood to inherit a throne in a past life was different than hearing that she really had in this one, especially when the crown in question wasn’t hers to claim. She exchanged looks with Mamoru. “I think we need more information. What’s Crystal Tokyo?”

 

Chibiusa gestured at the surrounding area. “This place is. It’s perfect. Mama and Papa don’t really talk about it much, but something bad happened and Mama was the only one who could reawaken the planet. When she did, the people made her queen.”

 

Her boyfriend stepped in, saving her from having to say anything. “Are they after you because you’re the princess?”

 

Her face contorted and tears welled up again. “They want to kill everyone. They hurt Papa, but first… First they hurt Mama. She won’t wake up. I had to go for help.”

 

_ What could’ve happened to me that the Silver Crystal hasn’t already fixed? _

 

Mamoru mostly focused on Chibiusa, but he watched Usagi as they walked her home, sensing her unease. The rest of the family had been looking for her too, but they were in the driveway when Mamoru, Chibiusa and Usagi reached the house. 

 

“We found her,” the blonde said as her mother plucked her from Mamoru’s arms. Her father nodded until he noticed the strange man with his girls. 

 

“Who is this?” he growled, gesturing. 

 

Usagi had forgotten that her mom kept her dad away from Mamoru. “Papa, this is Chiba Mamoru. He was the one who found Chibiusa-chan.”

 

“Chiba Mamoru? Your BOYFRIEND?!”

 

Mamoru went white. Usagi almost laughed. “Yes, sir.”

 

“You’re too old!” he shouted.

 

“Kenji!” Ikuko censored. “I’ve already met him and approved. Let the boy be!”

 

“He’s way too old for her!”

 

“Kenji! Inside!”

 

He obeyed, though he kept turning and glaring. Mamoru swallowed and glanced at his girlfriend. “I’m going to go,” he said. “Meet me?”

 

She nodded. “Give me a few minutes so Papa can calm down. Otherwise he might go looking for his shotgun.”

 

He kissed Chibiusa’s forehead and took off. Usagi sighed and headed inside to let her father vent. Once he was done her mother would let her leave.

 

88888888

 

Something was bothering Usagi. Well, beyond the obvious. Mamoru couldn’t pretend to know everything, but her behavior was easy to read. Chibiusa’s revelation hadn’t helped; she’d hardly spoken since. It had been a shock to him too, but not on that level. He leaned against a wall a few blocks from her house, waiting for her to show up. 

 

_ I’m on my way. _

 

_ No hurry, Usako. _

 

He felt her smile and decided to ask Minako or Kunzite about soul bonds, since he only knew enough to sense her mood and location or to hear when she spoke to him. He remembered there being more; he just didn’t know what that ‘more’ might be.

 

He didn’t even realize she’d reached him until she poked him in the shoulder with a wry smile on her beautiful face. “Sorry.”

 

“No problem. What’s got you so preoccupied?”

 

“Usako, something is wrong. Won’t you tell me what’s bothering you?”

 

She gestured, and they started walking to the park. They couldn’t be interrupted in their clearing except by one of the others. “I can’t, Mamo-chan.”

 

“Don’t I have a right to know?” he demanded, hurt.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you.”

 

Neither of them spoke again till they arrived. She jumped to a low branch before leaning against the trunk. He sat at the base. “Why can’t you?”

 

“I had a vision,” she said, so softly he had to strain to hear her.

 

“You’ve told me what you’ve Seen before.”

 

She shook her head. “Some futures can’t be shared.”

 

“Have you talked to Rei-chan?” he asked. 

 

“No, but she knows,” she replied. It was getting frustrating. Since they’d reunited he’d told her  _ everything _ . “I heard that.”

 

“I can’t hear your thoughts.” 

 

She shrugged. “My powers are stronger than yours right now. If I wanted to, I could reach out and know everything you think. I wouldn’t, of course, but it’s possible.” He didn’t respond. After a minute, she dropped down and sat next to him, head on his shoulder. “You know I’d tell you if I thought it was safe, right?”

 

“Yes,” Mamoru said with a tired sigh. “I’m just worried because the last time you refused to talk about what you’d Seen we all wound up dead.”

 

Usagi bit her lower lip. “If I was Seeing that, I’d tell you in a heartbeat.

 

“Will you be all right?”

 

“Maybe.” He began to protest, but she held up a hand. “No one can predict the future with any real certainty, but I promise I’ll do my best to stay safe.”

 

“Usako, why could it hurt you?”

 

She arched one brow. “I can’t say, but Chibiusa should be enough to reassure you. After all, if she’s still here…”

 

“You’ll be okay,” the dark-haired man finished. 

 

“Time is flexible. If anything happens in the present to upset the future, she’d show it. As long as she’s here, I… Well, whatever problems I have won’t be permanent.”

 

“That isn’t very comforting.”

 

The blonde smiled a little. “It’s war, Mamo-chan. There are no promises.”

 

She headed home to spend time with Chibiusa not much after that. He stayed, thinking. It was hard to know she’d Seen something bad and couldn’t tell him. 

 

After a while, Keiji appeared. A civilian appearance never suited Kunzite, no matter how many times Mamoru saw it. When he thought of the head of the Shitennou, he was as Endymion knew him, with his long hair, uniform, things that seemed like an intrinsic part of him. The man in the center of the clearing had short dirty blond hair cut like Mamoru’s instead of his normal silvery-white strands, and was much paler. The modern clothing seemed out of place.

 

When he noticed Mamoru, Kunzite shifted. His dark blue uniform shimmered across his form to replace his black business suit as his hair lengthened and lightened. His skin returned to its normal bronze and a cape unfurled in the breeze. “Good afternoon, Mamoru-sama.”

 

“Hey,” he replied. “I didn’t expect anyone, and you weren’t at the meeting yesterday.”

 

“My apologies. My appointments ran late, and one of my female investors was – how would Mina say – ‘making a pass’ at me. It took time to dissuade her. Did anything important come up?” The younger man gave a rundown the previous day’s fight and meeting. The general spoke once his superior was done. “The princess of Crystal Tokyo? Interesting.”

 

“Do you know anything about it?” he asked. 

 

“Mamoru-sama, I could not possibly know of something almost a thousand years in the future. I am no Seer; you might recall that was Nephrite’s purview. Has Rei-sama or Usagi-sama said anything?”

 

“Rei-chan can’t See that far ahead, and Usako doesn’t know any more than I do. We found out at the same time. Something’s upsetting her, though – a vision.” 

 

Kunzite’s brow lifted at the frustration he heard clear as day. “The princess learned the dangers of sharing visions from an early age. If it is something she is not ready to discuss, let it be. She will tell you in time. If not, it is not meant to be spoken of.”

 

“I know,” Mamoru admitted. “It doesn’t change the fact I’m worried about her.”

 

“She has expressed the same sentiment toward you on a number of occasions.” He drew his twin short swords. “If you would like a distraction, would you care to spar? Prince Endymion did so often to relieve stress.”

 

Mamoru leapt to his feet, civilian clothes shifting to armor. With Kunzite nearby to support the prince and no crisis at hand, it wasn’t difficult. “That sounds great.” 

 

“Then we should renew your instruction. No doubt your abilities have dulled in the interim. Begin with the basics.”

 

Endymion followed his directions, striking at a target with his broadsword while the Shitennou stood to the side. Once he completed the exercise, Kunzite moved the stationary targets out of the way with a wave of his hand and stood opposite his master.

 

“Shouldn’t you use a longer sword?” the prince asked as he took a sip of water. Kunzite, ever a prepared soldier, had been carrying some with him since he had come to the clearing intending to do endurance training.

 

The Shitennou’s lips twitched as he raised one of his weapons. The other had been set aside. “We will see, will we not?”

 

Endymion tossed the bottle aside and took a fighter’s stance. “Let’s go.”

 

They closed, and seconds later the weapon flew from the younger man’s hand. “Clumsy,” his guardian scolded. “You left yourself open. Control every movement. See what I do, guard against it, and always be prepared for anything I might try.” The prince tried. Still his sword fell away. “Again,” the general ordered.

 

An hour later he was breathing hard and aching all over, but Kunzite didn’t look even the slightest bit tired. “Are we done?”

 

“For now. You have forgotten almost everything I taught you. It will take time to remedy that.” He bowed before returning the targets to their place and beginning a series of exercises himself, far more complex than those he had sent his prince through. It was like watching a lethal dance, especially when his second sword was added to the mix.

 

“One more,” the prince said impulsively.

 

The general glanced over as he continued the routine, his swords passing less than a millimeter from his skin. “Beg pardon?”

 

“One more,” Endymion repeated. “I want to try again.”

 

“Endymion-sama, between the stretches and practice bouts you have already done a great deal. You should rest before you make another attempt.”

 

“I never beat you before, but I at least did better than that.”

 

He straightened and again put away one of his blades. “Very well. If you are ready?”

 

The fight raged for several minutes all over the clearing before the general knocked the sword from the prince’s hand. Kunzite was in disarray now, not the unmoved statue he’d been in the other rounds, though Endymion knew he had still been holding back. The general could have killed his less experienced opponent at any time during the match. 

 

“You did well, but if you wish to regain your previous skill, I would suggest regular practices. However, that is quite enough for today.”

 

“You’re awfully good at this, though. Is it just because of the past?”

 

“No. As you so clearly indicate, having been a gifted swordsman in a previous lifetime does not ensure the skill’s continuation. Having full access to my powers is part of it. There is also the fact that I studied kendo as a child, and I saw many battles in the Dark Kingdom.”

 

If reconciling Kunzite with his civilian self was hard, imagining that civilian as a child was functionally impossible, even with Endymion’s memories of Kunzite in his teens, and he quickly gave up. Contemplating him as he’d been in the Dark Kingdom was utterly appalling, so he didn’t even try. The younger man sheathed his weapon before letting the prince fall away. Mamoru glanced at the Shitennou a little wistfully. “We were good friends once. Do you think we’ll ever have that again?”

 

Kunzite looked startled. “I do not understand.”

 

The teen frowned. “You let yourself get close to Minako-san, even Usako, but you still hold the rest of us at arm’s length. Why won’t you be my friend like you were?”

 

A pause followed. “I am your friend,” he said finally, “as much as I trust myself to be.”

 

“We trust you. If Usako didn’t, she never would’ve let you near Minako-san. Why can’t you trust yourself?”

 

He replaced his swords. “You ask a difficult question. I do not accept my failures well, Mamoru-sama, yet I did so in the most inexcusable manner. I cannot help but allow Mina, for she is my heart and humanity and I would fade to nothing without her. Usagi-sama refuses to be kept at a distance, and her determined sweetness makes it difficult to even want to. With you? I fear that if I am close to you I will make the same mistakes again and ruin everything.”

 

“You’re a fool,” Mamoru said in the cold tone he normally reserved for enemies. “What happened wasn’t your fault. I want what we used to have. I can’t have the others yet, I know that, but I miss the way we were. I need my friend.”

 

Kunzite bowed his head. “I have always valued your friendship. As Prince Endymion, as you are now, that has not changed. Logically, I know I am not responsible for our past, but in my heart I cannot find forgiveness.”

 

“I betrayed Usako too,” Mamoru pointed out. “She doesn’t hold a grudge; none of the girls do. I have a hard time with it now and then, but I look at her and remember it doesn’t matter. As long as you can honestly say you’d do anything in your power to keep it from happening again, it isn’t important.”

 

“You are correct,” Kunzite admitted reluctantly. “This is not the first time I have been confronted for such behavior, and I suspect it will not be the last. I apologize for worrying you, Mamoru-sama. I cannot make any promises, but I will try. As your guardian and advisor, then, I reserve the right to speak my mind when I disagree with your chosen path. Prince Endymion heeded my words. Can you do the same?”

 

The younger man nodded. “You always knew what was best, except,” he laughed, “when it came to Serenity. You really didn’t stand a chance on that one.”

 

“I am aware,” he said dryly. “Destiny being as it is, there was nothing I could have done to keep you apart. Now go rest. You are tired.”

 

“How did you –” He groaned when his general only turned steady eyes his way. “I’ll never know how you manage that, Kunzite. Most people wouldn’t be able to tell.”

 

“While you are capable of masking your emotions to a certain extent, I know you. Go home. If Usagi-sama thinks you are unwell the next time she sees you…”

 

Mamoru waved off the rest of the statement. “I know. She’ll spend the rest of eternity worrying. I’m going.”

 

“Rest,” he repeated. “We can continue tomorrow.”

 

“I’m going to regret this,” he muttered as he headed home. Not only had he lost most of his skill, his new body lacking the muscle memory needed to be truly capable, he’d forgotten how harsh a taskmaster Kunzite could be. He reached his apartment at sunset and made for the bedroom. The instant he hit the pillow he was asleep.

 

_ He was in a church. It was beautiful, with massive stained glass windows and flowers everywhere. Usagi was next to him, more amazing than ever in a bridal gown. They were getting married. As they finished the ceremony, their friends threw fistfuls of rice at them. His beautiful wife held her bouquet up to protect her face, laughing. He turned to look at her. _

 

_ The world went mad. The ground fell around them. He tried to grab Usagi, to save her, but she was gone and a ringing voice spoke in his mind. If he stayed near her, she was doomed. That wasn’t all; this mystery person knew who she was. He – Mamoru was nearly sure the voice was a man’s – called her Serenity.  _

 

Mamoru sat up with a jolt, accidentally straining his sore muscles. “Gods,” he muttered as he tried to breathe normally. “What was that?”

 

He headed to the kitchen for something to eat but noticed his right shoulder looked red and aggravated when he turned on the lights. A tendril of healing magic was enough for the color and pain to fade to nothing. 

 

“That’s what I get for going to bed right after exercising,” Mamoru decided as he started cooking. “Strange dreams.”

 

88888888

 

He joined Kunzite the next day for more training. The general was already there when his charge arrived, hair tied back with a leather cord as he performed a sword dance. Mamoru hadn’t seen him that way since the Silver Millennium; it was oddly nostalgic. The older man had always been a superb swordsman, and it had been a rare thing indeed for that skill to be demonstrated artistically when there had been so many situations demanding its practical uses. The teen only had a moment to reminisce before Kunzite noticed his presence and stopped. 

 

“Does Minako-san practice with you?” Mamoru asked curiously. 

 

“From time to time. She needs to finish growing before she will be able to use her sword to full effect, so we use weighted training foils for now. She has talent.”

 

“I bet,” he agreed. “She’s always been something else. Am I in for another tough day? I ended up with weird dreams last night.”

 

Kunzite glanced over at him. “Did you wish to discuss it?”

 

Mamoru shook his head. “It’s not important. Where do we start?”

 

88888888

 

Endymion returned his sword to its sheath as they finished an hour later. Images formed in his mind again, of Usagi falling with her sad expression. He winced, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes.

 

“Endymion-sama?” Kunzite asked. “Is something wrong?”

 

“I don’t know… I think I need to go home.”

 

He nodded. “If you need anything, you need only ask. Will you be here tomorrow?”

 

“Yeah.” He powered down, dazed and distracted. “Thanks. See you then.”

 

He stumbled more than walked as he left. All Mamoru could see was Usagi in danger, and the need to protect her consumed him. He’d had visions of a sort before, dreams of the Moon Princess begging for help. Another onslaught hit and he leaned against a nearby wall, trying to convince himself it couldn’t be real. It took a moment to realize he was shaking, overheated and chilled in turn. He was so afraid for her.

 

“Mamo-chan!”

 

Mamoru knew what he had to do. He had to stay away. He wasn’t ready, but there was no choice. He faced her as she ran up and hugged him, rubbing her cheek against his shirt. She said something about fate bringing them together, but he couldn’t really hear it over the pounding in his ears. He was going to destroy them both to save her.

 

“Don’t do that,” Mamoru said. 

 

“Don’t hug you in public?” she asked, head tilted to one side. “Well, I know we haven’t officially been together that long, and I’m so much younger than you…”

 

“That’s not what I meant!” he corrected sharply, bracing himself for what was next. “I’m saying I don’t love you anymore.”

 

Usagi froze. “I don’t understand.” Her pain poured through them both as she begged him without words to take it back. He blocked their bond, hiding his thoughts. She winced.

 

“We’re finished!” he snapped. Instead of waiting for her to reply, knowing a single tear would be his undoing, he walked away. His body felt like lead, and his heart seemed to beat more and more feebly with each step separating them. 

 

88888888

 

The arcade was unusually deserted, Motoki decided as he wiped down the counters. Usagi and her friends hadn’t come in, and Mamoru rarely did anymore. It was strange, but he’d seemed distant since he’d started blacking out every other day or so. The door chimed and he glanced up to see his favorite blonde walk in. He was ready with a cheery greeting until she looked up and he saw her face.

 

He had no way to describe the expression she was wearing. Usagi always had a smile for everyone and could brighten up a room just by walking in. To see her so broken, tears shining in the corners of her eyes… It probably would’ve hurt less if she’d hit him with a baseball bat.

 

“Motoki-onii-san,” she whimpered, “I need to talk to someone. Please? Please…”

 

“Of course,” he said at once. “I’ll close the arcade for a bit. Want anything?”

 

She shook her head and half-collapsed on a stool, head on the counter. Her bag was near the door, so the older teen grabbed it as he flipped the sign to ‘closed’. He also pulled the screens down to give them some privacy before taking a seat next to her. 

 

She was crying. Everyone at Crown had heard Usagi cry at some point; it had been a fixture during her fights with Mamoru. This wasn’t her usual wail, though. It was soft, and he’d known her long enough to understand the difference. She was really hurting. Motoki patted her back, deciding to let her get it out. 

 

She stopped quickly, maybe too much so. “Thank you.”

 

“No problem. What did you want to talk about?”

 

She toyed with the ends of her hair, eerily calm. “You’re my big brother, right? If I tell you something, you won’t tell anyone?”

 

“Of course not,” he soothed. “You can trust me. When have I ever told anyone your secrets? You told me everything when we were little.”

 

She laughed hollowly. “I know, but this is important.”

 

Motoki had no idea what was wrong, but it had to be big. “Whatever you want to say, I’ll listen. What’s wrong, Usagi-chan?”

 

She sighed. “I’m Sailor Moon.” She was too tired to even try to soften the blow.

 

He studied her through his initial shock. There was an obvious resemblance when he looked for it, especially the hair. Sailor Moon and Usagi had the same style. She’d called it her trademark as a little girl, around the time she started wearing it. The only other person he could think of with the same hairdo and color was the famous protector of Tokyo. 

 

Motoki realized she was watching him. “I know it’s hard to believe.” After that, she gave him a rundown of her first day as Sailor Moon and what it had meant for her.

 

“Who are the other Senshi? And Tuxedo Kamen?”

 

Usagi managed a smile. “I can’t tell you, but who do you think? Who appeared from nowhere and became my best friends in a heartbeat?”

 

“The girls,” he guessed. “Ami-chan is Sailor Mercury. Rei-chan… Mars? Mako-chan is Jupiter, and that leaves Venus for Minako-chan. So who’s Tuxedo Kamen?”

 

She walked to the window. “Can’t you guess? I fell in love with Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Sometimes it seemed like I’d die, but he’d save me at the last second… He was captured, tortured and brainwashed, and he fought me. Do you know how hard that is? I healed him, but he died saving my life. I gave it up to stop our enemies.”

 

“You look pretty good for a dead girl,” Motoki said with a laugh. He had to treat it like a joke or his brain would explode. 

 

“I suppose,” she replied. “I made a deal with Death and we came back. Everyone forgot except me. I was alone again.”

 

He joined her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You’re never alone,” he promised her. “I’ll be here for you.”

 

She leaned back against him. “Yeah, I guess you will. I should answer your question, shouldn’t I? Tuxedo Kamen-sama – My true love, my prince…”

 

True love. Usagi was a romantic, he knew, but she’d never use words like that lightly. Tuxedo Kamen was someone she  _ really _ loved. “Usagi,” he said urgently as he put the pieces together. “You said you love Tuxedo Kamen. Your true love.”

 

She nodded. “I love him with everything I am. There’s no one else.”

 

“Is Tuxedo Kamen Mamoru-kun?”

 

“He’d have to be, wouldn’t he? We were drawn together from the start.”

 

He was struggling to wrap his mind around everything, but he saw how cool she’d become. It was as if she’d slid ice over her pain, and Motoki couldn’t stand it. “What happened?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

He sighed. “Usagi-chan, I’ve known you forever. You were so upset when you got here, and now you’re calm as can be. You don’t do that unless it’s really bad. Tell me.”

 

She spun, staring at the countertop. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to talk.”

 

“That’s not true; you’d never have begun this conversation otherwise. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”

 

Tears welled up again, turning her eyes into lakes. “Mamo-chan broke up with me. He said he doesn’t love me anymore.”

 

Whatever he’d expected, that wasn’t it. Mamoru loved Usagi; he knew it without a doubt. Motoki had known Mamoru would die for her even without knowing the whole story. Hell, he’d figured out his best friend was gone on the girl before Mamoru even realized he didn’t just find her annoying. He couldn’t  _ not _ love her. “That’s insane.”

 

She managed a teary smile. “I know, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Seeing it coming didn’t. Have you ever had someone you love say they don’t?”

 

“Well, since you know he really loves you, it can’t be too bad,” he said. “He’ll work out whatever’s bothering him and apologize.”

 

She shook her head. “It’s not that simple, Motoki-onii-san. We have a bond, we can sense each other’s thoughts and emotions; that’s how Tuxedo Kamen-sama knows if I need help. When he told me he didn’t love me anymore, he blocked our bond. It’s beginning to break.”

 

“Tell him,” Motoki urged her. “Say you knew – I’ll need you to explain that – and get him to understand.”

 

She lifted ancient-looking eyes to his. “It’s not that simple,” she repeated. “The bond between us is breaking. Once it’s gone, I’ll die.”

 

“Die?” Motoki repeated through a dry throat. “As in  _ dead _ die? Are you serious?” Usagi dying? Impossible. Despite that, there was a haunting sense that he’d lost her before. “I don’t get it,” her older brother protested. “How will whatever’s wrong with him kill you? Usagi-chan, I’ll talk to him, make him change his mind. We’ll fix it.”

 

“I could have a normal life, if nothing else goes wrong, but it’ll change. Every time he denies us, I’ll get weaker. It’s a terrible way to die, to have your love torn apart as your life runs out.” She twitched, grimaced, and her expression changed to resignation. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I have to go. Luna is sensing something in a cosmetics store and she needs me. I can tell you the rest some other time.”

 

“Can’t the other Senshi take care of it?” Motoki asked, wanting to keep her with him where he could see she was safe.

 

She shook her head. “We don’t know our enemy or their plans yet. I have to be there.” She cut him off before he could ask anything else. “Later. I need to go.”

 

“Be careful,” he told her.

 

She let the automatic door open and remained framed in the light for a moment. “Careful flew out the window a long time ago.”

 

88888888

 

Usagi wandered in as a civilian to look around. She still had tear stains on her face from her cry at Crown, so she headed for the clerk. The woman immediately recommended a set of products for skincare. The blonde interrupted. “Will makeup make Mamo-chan love me again?” she asked, trying to sound extra love-sick and pathetic. Judging by the lady’s reaction, it worked. 

 

“Of course! Heavy makeup can make any man love you. We have just the thing!”

 

Her eyes narrowed. Though she could be shallow at times, she  _ hated _ people who thought their appearance was all that mattered. “Mamo-chan isn’t like that. He doesn’t care about looks! All you want is to sell your stupid makeup!”

 

The salesgirl grabbed her wrist. “No one is allowed to talk to me like that!”   
  


“Let go!” Usagi shouted, trying to get her arm free. “Let me go!”

 

Browsers noticed the struggle and left, one muttering about calling the cops, and the clerk glared. “See what you’ve done! All my customers are gone!”   
  


“It serves you right,” the teen snapped. “Now let go of me!”

 

The older woman held up a makeup puff and passed it over her face, revealing a monster. It was shaped like a perfume bottle but had a red gem with a black inverted moon in its depths on her forehead. “You’ll pay for this! Put on some makeup!”   
  


Usagi yelped and Luna leapt into the monster’s face, knocking it into the shelves. They bolted and found cover. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!”

 

It felt wrong, becoming Sailor Moon. Would he come? If she was in danger, would he save her? The transformation seemed to take forever but when it finally ended, she barely had time to duck. The monster shot something from its mouth that melted shelves into pink goo. The heroine considered what it could do to her and gagged. The monster came rolling at her, and the teen half-ran, half-stumbled down the aisle to evade it. Instead the Moon Senshi tripped on a jar and found herself on the ground with no chance of getting away uninjured. Luna jumped at the enemy, but it saw the movement and slammed her into the wall with a giant makeup applicator. She came away flattened and coated in white powder. 

 

“Luna!”

 

She was in trouble. She had no way to escape, and the only one who knew she was there had just hit the ground. She was terrified for her guardian’s sake and still the monster advanced, confident she was trapped.

 

A perfect red rose embedded itself in the ground between them. Tuxedo Kamen stood in an upper window and said something, but the girl he’d just saved couldn’t hear him through the roaring in her ears as her thoughts raced. The monster tried to shoot him too, but he jumped away and landed in a crouch at her side. She could only stare. She didn’t know what was in their future now – her dreams had only gone as far as their breakup. She’d thought he would abandon her. 

 

The monster shot the pink stream in their direction once more, but Tuxedo Kamen was faster. Sailor Moon didn’t have time to do more than gasp when he was on his feet, turning the monster’s attack back with his cane. It screamed, and the blonde could see its face had been obliterated. Its mouth was the only thing left. 

 

“My heavy makeup!” it cried, pulling an eyeliner pencil and compact mirror from… somewhere. It began to draw a face for itself. 

 

“Now, Sailor Moon!”

 

It was the first thing she actually heard him say. The heroine couldn’t do more than nod as she got up. Her rod came to her hand with a thought. “MOON PRINCESS HALATION!”

 

The monster was too caught up in the loss of its makeup to notice her attack until it was already there, and it dissolved into dust. The gem it wore fell to the pile and darkened, the black crescent moon in its depths vanishing. 

 

Sailor Moon saw Tuxedo Kamen leave and ran after him. It was foolish and reckless; she should’ve let him go, but she couldn’t. Even knowing he’d deny them again and that it would accelerate the breaking of their bond, she couldn’t. She hadn’t expected him to come and needed to know why.

 

“Wait! Tuxedo Kamen-sama, you were lying when you said you didn’t like me anymore, right? Because… you came to save me again.” 

 

“That has nothing to do with this,” he said coldly, his gloved hands tightening into fists. Most people wouldn’t see it, but she did. He was unhappy too. 

 

“Then, Mamo-chan, please just tell me why you don’t love me anymore.” She couldn’t keep the tears from flowing.

 

“I don’t like weak girls.”

 

Liar. Her heart shattered a little more. He didn’t think she was weak, but he knew she did. He was using it to push her away. She couldn’t feel his emotions, not with his block in place, and his words cut like a knife. She still believed he didn’t mean them. 

 

“Good-bye.”

 

“Mamo-chan!” She hadn’t meant to say anything. The nickname came without conscious thought. She’d wanted to watch him leave in silence, to prove what he said wasn’t true. 

 

Guilt crashed through her, and it took a moment to realize why. Mamoru’s control over his powers and their bond was limited. He hadn’t been able to contain his feelings well enough and some had spilled through. As strange as it was, it gave her hope that he’d realize what he was doing before it was too late. Would she be strong enough to hold on until then? 

 

_ I’m sorry, Usako. _

 

The tears came more heavily. Sailor Moon hated it, knowing she couldn’t hold it back, showing that she was weak though he didn’t think she was. She wanted to fall to the ground and weep but forced herself to stay on her feet through sheer willpower.

 

Luna, who had recovered upon the monster’s defeat, came to her side. “Sailor Moon, the real shop girls are in the basement. They’re hurt and need help.”

 

The Moon Senshi took several deep breaths to steady herself. “I’m coming, Luna.”

 

88888888

 

She collapsed against Rei’s pillows with a sigh. “I’m exhausted.”

 

Mars and the rest of the Senshi had helped Sailor Moon clean up and get the victims to the hospital, but they’d sent the others to the park with Chibiusa and went to the shrine to talk.

 

“I’m not surprised,” Rei said. “How are you feeling?”

 

“I’m fine,” she muttered, pretending not to understand.

 

The priestess glared. “I don’t like reading minds, but I will if you don’t answer me.”

 

Usagi sighed. “Do you have to ask? He came to the battle, you know, and I couldn’t resist talking to him. It got worse. I can’t be Sailor Moon for much longer, but the others can’t know what’s happening between us.”

 

“Do you think they won’t notice you getting sick?” Rei snapped. “I won’t lie to them, Odango. This is too important.”

 

“What choice do we have?! If I tell them, they’ll go to Mamo-chan. I won’t have him fix this out of guilt, Rei. I need him to come back for the right reasons. Not Chibiusa, not what’s happening.  He needs to admit that he loves me and that what he did is wrong!”

 

Rei took a seat after gathering the tea service her grandfather left at the door. “I know. I understand, but we’re a team. We can’t keep secrets from the others forever.”

 

“We don’t have forever.”

 

“Usagi!” she flared. “Don’t you dare make light of the situation! You’re dying, or did you forget?! I won’t let you die, Usagi. I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t want you to doubt my loyalty, but I won’t watch you sacrifice yourself!”

 

Usagi forced herself to stay calm as Rei handed her a cup of tea. “I’m sorry, Rei-chan. I know you’re worried.”

 

“We can’t do this without you. What about your daughter? Are you willing to lose her because of your stupid pride?”

 

“Chibiusa…” she mused. “I’d risk anything to protect her. She’s my only hope. As long as she exists, as long as I can see her, I know somehow things will work out.”

 

“I get that it’s what you’re holding onto,” said Rei, “but don’t let it keep you from acting. You don’t know what changes between now and then.”

 

“If I have to tell Mamo-chan to keep her safe, I’ll do it.” They sat in silence for several minutes before Usagi spoke again. “I told Motoki-onii-san about us.”

 

“Usagi!” the miko exclaimed, aghast. “You didn’t!”

 

“I had to! I have you and the others, but you’re involved. I had to confide in someone who would worry about me for me, not thinking about Sailor Moon!”

 

The miko stewed for several seconds before letting out a tired sigh. “You’re right. We’d think of you, but we’d have to be soldiers too. I’m just afraid of how you’d feel if something happened to him.” Rei got up. “Let’s go find your daughter.”   
  


“I have to go to the Time Door tonight. Pluto and I have a few things to discuss.”

 

She just nodded. “Do you need company?”

 

“No. She’s a Senshi too; she would never hurt me.”

 

“Then let’s go. Chibiusa-chan needs you.”

 

88888888

 

Having her nearby was a relief. Chibiusa was doing a great job staying calm, more than Usagi ever would’ve expected, but she still worried all the time. It was easier to cope while she could see her and know she was safe.

 

At first the blonde watched from the shadows as Rei joined the group in the center of the clearing. She seemed happy playing with the girls. Makoto tossed her in the air and spun until Chibiusa shrieked with laughter. Ami asked about her schoolwork whenever Makoto gave her a break. Minako capered around, deliberately being silly. Rei mostly watched, though she made some jokes. ‘Odango’ came up more than once. Chibiusa finally spotted her and launched herself into her future mother, knocking them to the ground. Pain shot through the older girl, but she ignored it and wrapped her arms around her with a smile. 

 

“Hey, kiddo. Having fun?”

 

She stared up at Usagi. “I missed you. What took so long?”

 

“It’s been a busy day,” she replied. “We need to talk, sweetheart.”

 

“What happened?” she asked.

 

“That’s what I need to tell you. No, no one’s hurt,” Usagi added when Chibiusa chewed on her lower lip. “Let me explain. There was a battle today. The monster I fought had the same black mark as Koan. You remember her?”

 

Her nose scrunched up. “She’s the scary lady who attacked me at Rei-chan’s.”

 

“I think she or someone she works with sent the monster. We’re going to have to be more careful. You can’t wander off; I’m afraid of what could happen to you.”

 

“I promise,” she said in the voice of a child making a sacred vow. 

 

“I’ll be going to talk to Pluto soon to see if she can tell me what to watch for.”

 

“Can I come?!”

 

She shook her head. “Honey, our enemies are from the future. If they use the Time Door while you’re there, Pluto and I would be the only ones available to fight them, and we could be outnumbered. You need to stay with your papa tonight.”

 

She must have had an odd inflection in her voice when she mentioned Mamoru, because Chibiusa pushed the subject. “Did something happen? Was he at the fight? Did he get hurt?”

 

“Yes, something happened. Yes, he was there. No, he wasn’t hurt. Chibiusa-chan… He broke up with me today, and I’m very sad. Please don’t bring him up if you don’t need to.”

 

Chibiusa frowned. “Why did he do that?”

 

“I don’t know,” she lied. “We’ll fix it, though. He and I just won’t spend as much time together for a while.”

 

“If you can’t, I won’t,” she said, but Usagi knew she wanted to. It was obvious how much the little girl loved her father.

 

“No,” she said with a sigh. “That wouldn’t be fair to either of you. You’re already so far away from everyone you know. I don’t want it to be worse because of my problems. I’ll take you to him before I go to the Time Door.”

 

“Mama,” the girl whimpered, “I don’t want you to be sad either. Is it my fault?”

 

“Oh, honey, it’s not your fault. He’s just confused. Don’t feel bad about spending time with him. Did the girls get your backpack?”

 

Ami handed it to her. “Your mother made sure she has everything she needs. Did you let Mamoru-san know you were coming?”

 

“No, but it’ll be fine. He loves having her around.”

 

“Usagi-chan…” Ami began. “Did something happen? You’ve been on edge, and I don’t think it’s because of Chibiusa-chan.”

 

Usagi put on her best smile. “It’s not important. I’ll just take her to Mamo-chan’s before it gets too late.”

 

“Have either of you eaten?” Makoto called from across the clearing. “There’s food over here if you want some.”

 

Chibiusa snatched the snacks before coming back and taking her future mom’s hand. Usagi slung the backpack on. “Thanks, Mako-chan. Let’s go, Chibiusa.”

 

The girls exchanged looks before rounding on Rei as soon as the two were out of sight. “Is something going on?” Minako asked. “What’s wrong with Usagi-chan?”

 

The miko looked away. “I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“We’re not stupid, Rei-chan,” Makoto said. “We can all see that something’s going on with her. Chibiusa-chan didn’t put that look in her eyes.”

 

They stared at Rei for a long time. “It’s Mamoru-san,” Ami guessed. “Something must have happened between them.”

 

“What goes on in their relationship is their business,” Rei said firmly. 

 

“But you know,” Minako accused. “Either you Saw it or she told you.”

 

“Or both,” Ami added. 

 

It was unusual for Ami to be forceful, and it made it clear just how much the others were worried, but the priestess was bound by her promise to Usagi. She couldn’t admit their leader was dying. But… the blonde never said she couldn’t tell them Usagi and Mamoru had broken up. 

 

“Tell us,” Minako wheedled. “It’s important, isn’t it? She’s so upset.”

 

Rei sighed. “Mamoru-san broke up with her today.” The others fell silent for several long minutes, and she wondered if they were going to ask questions she couldn’t answer.

 

“No! Why would he do that?!” Makoto demanded.

 

“That’s terrible,” Ami said finally. “They love each other so much.”

 

“I haven’t talked to Mamoru-san,” Rei said. “He’s the one who knows why.”

 

Minako’s eyes narrowed. “No, you know. And Usagi-chan does too. Spill.”   
  


“No.”

 

“As your leader…” Mina began.

 

“I take my orders from Usagi,” the miko said curtly. “She doesn’t want me to say and I won’t betray her confidence.”

 

The blonde started to argue but Ami hushed her, glancing at the other girl. “I’m sure you have your reasons, Rei-chan. You wouldn’t keep it secret if it wasn’t necessary.”

 

Makoto nodded. “You’ve kept us on the right path so far. I’m sure you know what you’re doing. What goes on between Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san is for them to share when they’re ready, not because we pulled it out of you.”

 

“Thank you.” Rei sighed in relief. “Can you trust that, Mina-chan? There are things you and Usagi keep from the rest of us. We trust you to know when to tell the truth. Give me the same chance.”

 

Minako nodded reluctantly. “Usagi-chan always trusted you, Rei-chan, even through your fights. Through lives. I know you don’t like to reveal what you See, and I know you respect her privacy. I can live with that.”

 

“That doesn’t mean telling Kunzite to ask Mamoru-san,” the miko added. “This is their problem.”

 

She pouted. “Fine, they can have their little secrets. You’ll tell us if she starts slipping.” Minako wasn’t asking. As leader of the Senshi, she was the only one who could question an order from the princess. She would override Usagi’s instructions if it came to that, because sometimes what was best for her went against what she said. 

 

“If I think she’s going too far, I won’t keep quiet. I care about her too much.”

 

“Minako-chan…” Makoto muttered. “It’s just relationship troubles. She managed when he was brainwashed. I think she’ll survive a breakup.”

 

Rei certainly hoped so.

 

88888888

 

Usagi thought about taking the coward’s way out and leaving Chibiusa in the building lobby. However, her conscience reminded her Mamoru wasn’t expecting her and would worry she’d run off. She had to make sure the little girl got to him. The elevator seemed to take forever. Chibiusa kept glancing up as if expecting her to change her mind and whisk her away again. The door presented another chance to turn back. What could happen in the time it took Mamoru to answer? She forced back the impulse, reminding herself he deserved to know what was going on. 

 

Usagi knocked.  _ I’m not a coward, _ she thought.  _ Not a coward, not a coward.  _ The door opened.  _ I’m a coward. _ Her eyes fell to her feet. 

 

“Mamo-chan!” Chibiusa cheered, launching herself into his arms. 

 

“Hey,” he said, surprised. “What brings you here?”

 

Usagi passed over her bag. “I have to… work tonight, and I thought she should spend time with you. Her school things are in her backpack and she’s had a snack, but not dinner. I’d appreciate it if you made sure she got to class on time. Luna will meet you there.”

 

“Work?” he repeated as he glanced up from Chibiusa, though his tone was cool. “Did something happen after the meeting?”

 

“Investigating,” she replied. “We don’t want to be caught unaware.”

 

Mamoru nodded. “Thank you for bringing Chibiusa-chan. Have a good night, Usagi.”

 

The door shut in her face. She nearly cried again when she realized he hadn’t called her Usako, but she hoped she’d made it through the conversation without furthering the damage to their bond. Usagi shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. She needed to talk to Pluto, not dwell on her pain. She went back to the clearing, sighed, and pulled the Crystal Star out of her pocket. It lit up as she passed her hand over the gem in its center.

 

“MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!”

 

Once her feet were back on the ground, she focused on the crystal. A warp was normally done with a Time Key, and Chibiusa had one she could’ve borrowed, but it didn’t matter. The crystal would do. The world seemed to melt as the transfer occurred, leaving her in a world of swirling mists. This was the land outside Time, controlling its ebb and flow. Pluto’s domain was not a cheery place. 

 

“Who goes there?” a voice demanded. “Those who enter this realm risk death. Identify yourself at once.”

 

Sailor Moon moved in that direction. “You already know who it is, Pluto. You realized I was coming the moment I used the Silver Crystal.”

 

The mists parted and the great Door of Time loomed before her, decorated with carvings of the phases of the moon. A tall woman with dark green hair who seemed both ancient and youthful stood to its side, a long, key-shaped staff in hand. Sailor Pluto, the only Senshi the Moon Princess could not command in the solar system, and a dear friend.

 

Her gaze softened as she studied the younger girl. “Whether I knew it or not, there is a certain protocol to obey, Princess Serenity.”

 

Sailor Moon rolled her eyes though she could feel the beginnings of a laugh. The first since… She pushed the thought back. “You don’t have to call me that.”

 

Pluto’s formality dissolved as she stepped forward and embraced her. “It is good to see you, Sailor Moon, though I am sorry for the circumstances.”

 

The blonde returned the gesture. “It’s great to see you too. I’ve missed you.”

 

The Time Guardian waved her Garnet Rod and the mist changed to a comfortable sitting room. Pluto commented when she noticed the Moon Senshi’s surprise. “Do not think I stand at the Door every moment. I may be immortal, but I appreciate getting off my feet now and then.”

 

“That makes sense. It’s nice.” She plopped into a chair and let her transformation drop, knowing she was safe with Pluto. The Time Guardian blurred as her Senshi uniform shifted to a lavender skirt suit, though the Garnet Rod remained close at hand. “I don’t know your civilian name, do I? You were always a Senshi or a princess to me.”

 

“It’s Meiou Setsuna, at least in this life,” she replied as she summoned a tea tray. “Would you like a cup?”

 

“Yes, thank you. Using your name might take some getting used to.”

 

“Perhaps.” She handed the younger girl her drink. “In truth, I find it difficult myself after spending so long in solitude. Now, you had things you wished to discuss.” She gracefully settled herself in another seat. Usagi was  _ almost _ embarrassed by her unladylike behavior, but it passed. She was too worn out to care. 

 

“Why is Chibiusa-chan in my time?” 

 

A faint smile creased Setsuna’s lips. “Surely she told you that much.”

 

“Ha. I wanted a proper explanation, actually.”

 

Setsuna sipped her tea, reminding the visitor she had some. She swallowed a mouthful without tasting it. “You know I can’t say much without risking the timelines.”

 

“Rubbish,” Usagi said flatly. “This timeline is unique; you don’t know what’s coming any more than we do. If you want us to protect her, we will, but we can’t go in blind.”

 

“She needs to be watched.”

 

“Oh, really?” she asked sarcastically. “The crazy future lady didn’t clue me in on that yet, shockingly.” Dialing back the sass, she tried again. “I need whatever information you can give me about the monsters with the black moon marks if you want me to keep her safe.”

 

The elder woman sighed and set her cup aside. “You make a valid point. To be honest, I will be of little help. The most I can tell you is that they seek the Silver Crystal and its mistress.” She studied the blonde. “The path you tread is your choice, Usagi-chan. I can say no more.”

 

She sighed. It was even less than she’d hoped. “Thanks, then. Could you take me home? I’m too tired to transform.”

 

“The damage to your bond is worrying,” she warned. “Already you stray perilously close to illness. You cannot continue as Sailor Moon, not even for a brief period.”

 

“I know,” Usagi muttered as she drained her tea. “Take me home. I’ll go straight to bed.”

 

Setsuna hefted her staff and was Sailor Pluto again. “I do not like leaving my post in so dangerous a time, but I am concerned for your well-being. I will guide you.”

 

A whirling portal appeared in front of them, and Pluto assisted her to her feet when Usagi realized her weariness was stronger than she’d thought. The Time Guardian walked the short path with her, and they stepped into the teen’s room. She sat on her bed as soon as they arrived.

 

Pluto looked at her, and her worry was clear. “I fear for you, Usagi, and everyone else. I hope you see a bright path I cannot.” She vanished, leaving her words twisting in Usagi’s mind.

 

88888888

 

Chibiusa settled down easily with Luna at her side. Mamoru, however, was restless. He would be camping on the couch, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to sleep. The expression on his soulmate’s face when he’d said he didn’t love her was haunting him. 

 

Beyond that, something had him out of sorts. He’d seen two of the girls pass by in Senshi form, but neither stopped to talk. It didn’t explain his nagging unease. The pain he understood – lying to Usagi left a gaping wound in his heart. He hadn’t sensed her danger earlier, and the only reason he’d been in time was because he was nearby and heard the ruckus. He’d felt the dark power before he realized she was there. Maybe that was what set him on edge. 

 

He had to see her. Regardless of the visions of her dying, he needed confirmation that he’d been fast enough to protect her. He had to know she wasn’t hurt. Luna and Chibiusa weren’t there. She’d be alone. The Senshi… There was bound to be at least one near her house. They would’ve arranged their patrols to cover the area since Chibiusa was the enemy’s target. Her energy would linger, and the girls would want to protect Usagi’s family. He suspected Rei at least knew what had happened even if the others didn’t. He had no idea and didn’t care. 

 

It didn’t matter; they’d never notice him. Tuxedo Kamen was silent and unseen; he could sneak over. If anyone noticed him on the way, they’d assume he was patrolling too. Luna could watch Chibiusa. Mamoru drew a rose before he could convince himself not to. A leap took him off his balcony as the door closed behind him. A cool wind blew, throwing his cloak out and almost knocking off his hat, but he was focused on seeing Usagi to make sure she was all right. 

 

And there she was, he thought as he settled in the tree outside her window. Lying in bed, her face turned to the moonlight. She was trembling. A nightmare? Tuxedo Kamen knew she had them frequently. No, it was fever. Her flush and restless movements made that clear. She was sick. Why? What had happened? She’d been fine a few hours ago, as far as he knew. 

 

He opened her window and slipped in, taking a seat at her side. Removing his gloves, he wiped sweat and tears from her too-warm face. His heart ached. He gently placed his hands on either cheek, holding her still. The tears slowed, then stopped, but she didn’t wake up. Tuxedo Kamen focused on his healing power. A thin golden sheen formed around his fingers but didn’t go to her as he’d intended. He’d done the spell right, he knew he had, so something was keeping him from helping. 

 

He refused to be discouraged. “Hold on, Usako,” he whispered. If he couldn’t get rid of whatever was making her ill, maybe he could lessen its impact. New to his powers as he was, it could be he lacked the knowledge to do better. “I can’t heal this, but I can slow it down. You’ll be strong enough to cure yourself.”

 

“Mamo-chan,” she murmured. Her breathing was uneven.

 

Tuxedo Kamen jumped, startled. If she saw him, she wouldn’t believe what he’d said. Did she know he was with her? Possibly. She knew him better than he knew himself. “I’m here,” he said softly. “I’m trying to help.” His power flared again, meant to soothe rather than heal. Her breathing steadied as her temperature dropped to a safe level. He backed away. “I don’t know why I can’t fix this. I just hope I did enough.”

 

The hero left, making sure to close the window behind him. He began to retrace his steps, but he couldn’t go home. The restlessness was still there. Instead he crossed the city, searching. Part of him yearned for a fight, but he didn’t find one. Everything was quiet, the silence before a storm. That foreboding thought drifted through his mind, though he did his best to ignore it. It mocked him. He gave up and went to the clearing, becoming Endymion and drawing his sword.

 

Lunge. Thrust. Parry. Riposte. Block. Feint. Slash. Again and again… Kunzite’s cleverly enchanted dummy kept coming at him. His muscles ached and holding the prince’s form quickly became a struggle, but he continued. It was all he could do, letting the exertion drive everything from his mind. When Endymion heard someone behind him, he whirled in a deadly attack. Kunzite barely raised his own swords in time to deflect the blow. With a twist of his wrist, he sent the prince’s blade flying. It landed several meters away, tip embedded in the dirt.

 

The leader of the Shitennou returned his weapons to his subspace pocket. “While I applaud your dedication, Endymion-sama, it is foolhardy to lose yourself so.”

 

The younger man realized he was taking harsh, heaving breaths as his mind began to clear. “I’m sorry,” he said between gasps. “I was trying to… I don’t know.”

 

Kunzite’s face was an emotionless mask. “You were attempting to avoid your guilt over hurting Usagi-sama by working yourself to exhaustion.”

 

He pushed his sweat-drenched hair out of his face. “You already heard, then?”

 

“Indeed. Mina is quite displeased, though the other Senshi have insisted she not become involved in settling whatever dispute there is between you.”

 

“I guess it’s no surprise Usa- Usagi said something.”

 

“That is not it,” Kunzite corrected. “Rei-sama spoke to the others after Usagi-sama left to bring you Chibiusa-sama. Mina also tells me Rei-sama was made aware by her gift, though no doubt Rei-sama confronted Usagi-sama.”

 

He sank back against a tree with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Kunzite. I shouldn’t use you as a target for my frustration.”

 

“Better I than one who would be hurt by your dark mood.” The general retrieved his charge’s sword and placed it in its scabbard, which had been left at the edge of the trees. Silently, he handed it back to its owner. Finally, Kunzite spoke. “Is there something you need to discuss?”

 

Endymion laughed. “Your loyalties are torn. If I say anything, you’d be conflicted and would end up telling someone.”

 

Kunzite’s gaze locked with his. “I would never betray a confidence and well you know it. Have you become a coward, then? You could be cold at times, but you never lied about your feelings. Does Usagi-sama deserve such treatment?”

 

“How did you know?” he asked faintly. 

 

“I am meant to be your guardian,” the Shitennou said. “When I can spare the time, I watch. I was nearby when you spoke so cruelly to Usagi-sama. Discretion demanded I keep my distance, but now I wish to know why you rejected someone you clearly still love.”

 

“I had to save her,” he said quietly. With more confidence, he repeated himself. “I had to save her. I was putting her in danger.”

 

Kunzite’s disbelief was veiled but clear nonetheless. “Really. You callously reject your true love after the many trials the two of you have already endured to  _ save  _ her. Endymion-sama, I vowed to serve you and will always do so. Regardless of my allegiance to Usagi-sama and her Senshi, that remains my first priority. However, I am forced as your friend and advisor to speak. How can you help her like this? Has she not suffered enough already?”

 

“You think I don’t know?!” Endymion demanded. “She has a hard time with all the battles we’re caught in. She gives everything she has to protect this world, and it costs her. I get it! Still, no matter how much I love her, I can’t be selfish. I can’t let her die!”

 

Silence fell in the wake of his outburst. Kunzite’s expression softened slightly. “I will not pretend to know why you think such a thing will happen, but I begin to realize what pushed you to this. I well understand the urge to protect your soulmate. I would do anything for Mina, no matter what it did to me. I would save her even if I had to hurt her to do so. However, it would be an absolute last resort. What brings you to this, Endymion-sama?”

 

He stared at the ground. “I told you I had a nightmare.”

 

Kunzite nodded. “I had thought that your overexertion yesterday induced a strange dream, but nothing of importance. Why?”

 

His hand rested against a tree after he pulled himself to his feet. “I used to dream of her constantly, you know. Princess Serenity was always there asking me for the Silver Crystal. She wanted my help, and for a long time there was nothing I could do.”

 

“Usagi-sama spoke of sending you such visions, but I fail to see the connection.”

 

Endymion sighed. “I had another this afternoon. It seems nice at the beginning. Usako and I get married, then she’s Serenity and I reach for her, but she’s gone and a voice tells me being with her will bring disaster.”

 

Kunzite studied him. “I have known you for a long time, and you have never shown even a hint of the Sight. This is likely nothing more than a dark place in your mind preying on you.”

 

“I thought that was it at first too, but I kept seeing the same thing. Even when I was awake. If I ignored it and something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.”

 

“That is,” he said with a frown, “understandable. However, would it not have been best to speak with Usagi-sama rather than make this decision without her?”

 

“She’d never agree. She would risk her life to stay with me, and I can’t let her do that.” 

 

“I do not have the answers,” said Kunzite. “Nor can I make your decisions. You chose what you see as the best course and though I disagree, it is not my life. Just do not lose sight of what matters. Now, I must beg your pardon. There are things I need to see to.”

 

He waved the older man off. “Go. I’ll visit Motoki-kun or something. Maybe he’ll be able to screw my head on properly.”

 

He vanished and Endymion returned to his civilian self as he walked off. Motoki might help, even if he couldn’t tell him the truth, but it could wait. Chibiusa was in his apartment and she was still important even if his mind was wrapped up in thoughts of her mother. Mamoru headed back and went straight to his room. He sat down and brushed some hair from her face, wondering at the unusual shade. And were children her age always so small?

 

“I want you to grow up just like her,” he told their little girl as she slept. “I love you so much, but it’s hard to be near you when I can’t be with her.”

 

“Mamoru-san?” Luna asked as she stretched. “Did something happen?”

 

“No, I just wanted to check on her.” The cat nodded and curled up at Chibiusa’s side again. Mamoru walked out with a sigh and dropped onto the couch. “Usako…” he murmured as he drifted off to sleep.

 

88888888

 

Usagi seemed okay, mostly. She was walking around, but she was pale and what excess kilos she might’ve had were gone. In a way, the paleness of her skin and her fragility only enhanced her beauty. With that and the sadness in her eyes, she reminded anyone who saw her of a princess in the sad part of a fairy tale. 

 

Motoki watched while she was in the arcade. The others tried to push food on her or to get her to play the Sailor V game, but she stayed at the table. Eventually she convinced them to leave and sat holding a little girl. They talked as the arcade worker glanced at the clock. His shift was nearly over and Unazuki would be there soon for hers. There were no other customers. He tossed his apron on the counter and joined them, bringing a pair of chocolate shakes. 

 

“Here you go, girls,” he said as cheerfully as he could. “On the house.”

 

The little one glanced at Usagi for permission. She nodded, so the child pounced and dug in. “Thank you, Motoki-onii-san,” Usagi murmured.

 

The older teen dropped into the booth across from them. “You okay?”

 

A faint smile ghosted across her lips. “As well as I can be, all things considered.”

 

“Who is she?” he asked, trying to get her to talk. Anything was more productive than letting her sit there looking so sad.

 

“This is Chibiusa-chan. Chibiusa-chan, this is Furuhata Motoki-onii-san. Say hi.”

 

The little girl looked at him warily but obeyed. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“You, too. I haven’t seen you around before. Are you related to Usagi-chan?”

 

She turned to Usagi, not replying. The blonde’s arms wrapped around her and she did a quick survey of the room. “She’s my daughter.”

 

Motoki didn’t see that coming, and his jaw practically hit the table. “What?!”

 

“My daughter,” she repeated, though a hint of laughter shone in her eyes. “You should know what that means, since you want a fancy medical degree and all that.”

 

“Obviously, but it doesn’t make sense. You’re fourteen!”

 

“She’s from the future,” Usagi explained. “Something happened and a friend sent her to us for help.”

 

He wondered why she hadn’t mentioned the child before, but he shrugged it off. “Time travel means Pluto, right…?”

 

She nodded. “Pluto wants her here; I don’t know why. There must be a reason.” She faced Chibiusa. “We trust him, Chibiusa-chan. If something happens and you need help, you can go to Motoki-onii-san. He’s friends with Mamo-chan, and he’ll contact us for you.”

 

“Really?” Chibiusa asked. “He doesn’t hate me?”

 

Usagi sighed and hugged the little girl. “No one hates you, sweetie. He cares a lot about me and your dad. He wouldn’t hate you.”

 

Chibiusa-chan stared at Motoki. “Really?”

 

He had no idea why she would ask if he hated her, but since Usagi nodded behind her back Motoki did the same. “I don’t hate you. Who  _ is _ your dad, anyway?”

 

Usagi winced.  _ Oh. _ Chibiusa answered. “Mamo-chan!”

 

“Is he?” he asked with a smile. “Well, he’s lucky to have such a cute kid.”

 

“Chibiusa,” Usagi interrupted, “why don’t you go play for a while? Motoki-onii-san and I need to talk.” She passed the girl a handful of tokens. 

 

“Yay!” Chibiusa cheered as she ran over to the Sailor V game and plunked down on the stool. Usagi watched her like a hawk.

 

“So what’s the deal with the kid? You didn’t mention her.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Usagi said tiredly. “It’s hard to let others get too close. She’s the enemy’s target. One showed up at Rei-chan’s looking for her, and she was almost killed.”

 

“Does Mamoru-kun know?”

 

She arched one brow. “She’s in a time where she doesn’t know anyone but us, and she’s scared. I wouldn’t take away one of the few people she has.”

 

Motoki rubbed his head sheepishly. “Sorry. How are you holding up?” he pressed. 

 

She frowned. “It’s tough. I should’ve stopped being Sailor Moon, but I thought I was doing better. I’m exhausted; if a battle starts I won’t be able to fight. At the same time, I have to. Chibiusa-chan is my responsibility. I can’t let her get hurt.”

 

“Isn’t there anything someone could do?” her brother demanded. “You have to be careful or you’re going to die! Is that what you want?!”

 

“Shh!” she hissed. “Chibiusa-chan doesn’t know; only Rei does. As far as the others are concerned, I have a cold or something. They want me to stay home.”

 

He glanced at the little girl playing the Sailor V game with the same concentration he’d seen on Usagi’s face so many times. A sudden thud and the clang of falling glass caught his attention and he turned back. Chibiusa started to cry when she turned around.

 

“Usagi!” Motoki yelped, running around the table to grab her. Her face was flushed, her breathing uneven. It looked like she’d fainted. He ignored the spilled shake. “Chibiusa-chan!”

 

Chibiusa looked terrified, and a strange light was appearing on her forehead. “Mama…”

 

He had no idea what was going on, so he had to wing it. “Calm down,” he ordered. “Can you contact Rei-chan? Tell her I’m taking both of you home.”

 

She nodded, steel replacing fear, and pressed the nose of the toy she carried. “Rei-chan!”

 

“Chibiusa-chan?” he heard Rei answer. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I don’t know. Mama collapsed.”

 

“Oh, no,” Rei moaned. “Where are you?”

 

“We’re at Crown,” Motoki responded for Chibiusa. 

 

The image in the cat’s pupil looked his direction. “Motoki-san? What happened?” 

 

He shook his head. “I have no idea. We were just talking and I turned to check on Chibiusa-chan. I heard something hit the table, and…”

 

Rei let out an interesting string of English curses he really hoped the kid couldn’t understand. “Can you get her home?”

 

“As soon as I call Unazuki-chan,” the older teen promised. “I need someone to watch the place. Then I’ll drive them back.” He took a moment to be intensely grateful that he’d been able to get a provisional license to help with work.

 

“Chibiusa-chan,” Rei soothed, “she’ll be all right. We can take care of her.”

 

“Why isn’t she waking up? What’s wrong with her?”

 

“She’s just sick,” Rei replied. 

 

“Get to her house as soon as you can,” Motoki said. “Is there anything I should know?”

 

“Don’t let Chibiusa get upset. She releases her magic and it draws the enemy. With Usagi down, we can’t let that happen.” Rei cut the connection and Motoki grabbed the arcade phone, dialing his sister’s pager. She called back in seconds.

 

“What’s up, onii-chan?” 

 

“Unazuki, you need to get to Crown.” He glanced at the clock. It would take her at least ten minutes since it sounded like she was still at home. 

 

“What’s wrong?” she demanded. 

 

“Something came up,” he told her. “No one’s here, so I’ll lock the door. You can reopen once you get here.”

 

“Onii-chan!”

 

He dropped the phone in its cradle and grabbed his keys, picking up Usagi. “Come on, Chibiusa-chan. You can sit with her. Tell me if anything changes, okay?”

 

She nodded, clinging to Usagi’s hand. “Where’s Papa?”

 

_ How do I handle this? _ “Do you know how things are for Mamoru-kun and Usagi-chan?”

 

“Yes,” she replied. “I messed things up and now they’re not together.”

 

_ What? _ “I’m sure that’s not it,” he said in his best comforting voice as he settled Usagi in his car. “Did Usagi-chan tell you that?” The girl shook her head, so he pressed on. “Then it’s not true. You’re not the reason they broke up, Chibiusa-chan. If Ikuko-san says it’s okay, I’ll take you to Mamoru-kun once we get Usagi-chan home.”

 

“Promise?” she asked. 

 

“Yeah, I promise. Who does everyone think you are, by the way? ”

 

Chibiusa frowned. “Kenji-papa and Shingo-onii-san think I’m a cousin, but Ikuko-mama knows about us.”

 

Motoki pulled into their driveway, realizing Kenji wasn’t home. “Go get her then, and tell her what’s going on.”

 

Rei sprinted up. “What happened? How is she?”   
  


He pulled Usagi out of the car. “I’m not sure. I just didn’t know if it was safe to take her to the hospital.”

 

“We might show up on the tests wrong since we’re not exactly human. You did the right thing.” She laid a hand across her friend’s forehead. “She’s burning up. Her fever is too high.”

 

Ikuko came bustling out and the arcade worker glanced at Rei. “What can I do?”

 

“Nothing,” the priestess sighed. “There’s only one thing that would help… and she refuses to let me get it for her.”

 

Ikuko led them to Usagi’s bedroom and he set her down before going to their living room to wait. Shingo glanced up from his game for a moment. “Did stupid Usagi hurt herself again?”

 

“No. She has a fever.”

 

The kid shrugged and V kept killing aliens, unconcerned. “Is she going to be okay?” 

 

“She should be,” Rei said from the entry. “Right now she needs rest.” She turned to the older teen. “Usagi’s mom says it’s okay to take Chibiusa-chan to Mamoru-san’s.”

 

“She’s not angry with him?”

 

“She doesn’t know,” Rei answered grimly before handing him a backpack. “Here are Chibiusa-chan’s things. She’ll be here in a moment – she wanted to change.”

 

“Motoki-kun?” Ikuko called as she came down the stairs. “Thank you for bringing Usagi home and taking Chibiusa-chan. It’s no trouble?”

 

“Not at all,” he assured her. “I’ll walk her over to Mamoru-kun’s. Do you mind if I leave my car? I want to see Usagi-chan again before I go home.”

 

“It’s fine,” her mom answered. “Her father has a dinner meeting tonight, so he’ll be late. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she added as Chibiusa came in. 

 

The pink-haired child nodded. “Take care of Usagi-chan?”

 

“Of course. Have fun, and be a good girl for Motoki-kun and Mamoru-san.”

 

“I will,” she promised.

 

The walk to Mamoru’s was almost silent. When they reached his apartment, he wasn’t in. Motoki pulled out his key. “He’s not here, but we can wait inside. He should be back soon.” She nodded, curling up on the couch and digging a book out of her backpack. She fell asleep after a few pages. He sighed and dropped into an armchair, praying that his surrogate sister would be all right. He was on the balcony looking out over Tokyo when Mamoru got home.

 

“Is something wrong?” he asked as he came in. 

 

Motoki spun, startled. “Mamoru-kun! You’re here!”

 

The darker teen’s brows arched. “I live here, so why do you sound so surprised? Did something happen?”

 

“Usagi-chan’s mother asked me to bring Chibiusa-chan. Since you weren’t here, I let us in. She fell asleep.”

 

“Except for the part with Usagi’s mom,” he drawled, “I figured most of that out myself. Something is bothering you, Motoki-kun. Care to explain?”

 

Motoki swallowed. “I was working while the girls were at the arcade. They left, but Usagi-chan and Chibiusa-chan stayed and the place was empty, so I went over for a chat. Usagi-chan passed out.”

 

“What?” the other man demanded, fear clawing at him. 

 

The blond shrugged. “I think she has the flu or something. That’s what Rei-chan said when I called her.”

 

“Is Chibiusa-chan okay? You said she was there.”

 

“She got a little upset, but I managed to calm her down and promised to bring her here if her aunt said it was all right. Is there anything else? I want to get back.”

 

“That’s fine. Thanks for bringing Chibiusa-chan. Let me know when Usagi’s all right?”

 

He hesitated but nodded. “I won’t pretend to know what’s going on with you, but I’ll call once I know more. Bye.”

 

Mamoru watched Motoki leave at a near run before sitting down next to Chibiusa. “Wake up,” he said, poking her in the shoulder. She batted at him and turned over, still asleep. He sighed and carried her to the futon he’d set up in his room, tucking her in. He’d have to find a way to see Usagi later.

 

88888888

 

When Usagi had seemed better, Rei thought they were safe, that the danger she Saw was her imagination. When Chibiusa called, the blood in her veins froze. If she’d been normal one second and collapsed in the next…

 

Her mother tried, but she hadn’t gotten the miko to leave Usagi’s side. She stayed, alert to her wellbeing at all times. The priestess was  _ so _ tempted to go to Mamoru and make him undo the damage, but she’d promised. Rei was afraid Usagi wouldn’t relent until it was too late. 

 

Usagi stirred as Rei changed the damp washcloth on her forehead for a fresh one and slowly opened her eyes. “Rei…?”

 

“I’m here,” she answered shortly. 

 

“What happened?” the blonde asked.

 

Rei smoothed the cloth. “You passed out while you were at Crown. Motoki-san brought you and Chibiusa-chan home.”

 

Usagi tried to sit up, but the other girl pressed her hand against her friend’s shoulder. She was too weak to fight. “Where’s Chibiusa-chan? Is she all right?”

 

She always worried about everyone else first. It was at once endearing and aggravating. At the moment aggravation was winning, but Rei forced it back. She was so sick, so weak… Rei wanted to kill Mamoru for hurting Usagi when she loved him so much. “Motoki-san took Chibiusa-chan to Mamoru-san.”

 

“He did?” she asked, relieved. “I’m glad. She’ll be all right there.”

 

“Usagi, this needs to stop. You can’t be Sailor Moon. Using the Silver Crystal will only make you weaker.”

 

She frowned. “I won’t sit back and watch when the enemy is after my  _ daughter _ .”

 

“You won’t survive to have a child if you fight again!” the priestess shouted. “Don’t you get it yet?!  _ You will die! _ ”

 

Usagi seemed taken aback by Rei’s temper, which she rarely displayed while they were alone, but she recovered quickly. “I know.”

 

“Why won’t you let me tell Mamoru-san?” she demanded. “Why?! He’d save you the instant he knew. He loves you and we all know it, so why are you letting this continue?!”

 

“I already told you,” she said. “I don’t want him to come back out of obligation. I want his love completely or not at all.”

 

Rei wanted to scream and rage, but she couldn’t put the blonde through that. She was trying so desperately to hold on already, though the miko knew it hurt her. “Aren’t you frightened?” she asked instead. 

 

“Yes,” she responded after a long pause. “This is war and the stakes are the things I love most. I have faith in him, though. Mamo-chan will come back to me.”

 

Minako poked her head in the door. “Everyone is downstairs. Is she awake?”

 

Rei gestured. “She just came to. Bring them up; we have a lot to discuss.”   
  


“What’s wrong with her?”

 

“The flu,” Usagi lied. “I picked it up at school, and I’ve been too worried to take care of myself properly. I can’t seem to shake it.”

 

Minako didn’t look convinced. “Senshi don’t get sick. I haven’t had so much as a cold since I started fighting.”

 

A false smile settled on Usagi’s face. “Well, I guess I ran myself down taking care of Chibiusa-chan. I’ll be okay soon, but it looks like I’m off the duty roster for now.”

 

The other blonde nodded and left, soon ushering the rest of the team in. Motoki was there too. Kunzite hadn’t been happy to find out he knew about them, but the miko didn’t care. He was a comfort to Usagi, and that was all that mattered. She’d rather he was there over the general anyway. She at least trusted Motoki.

 

Makoto, leaning against the wall, started. “If Usagi-chan is sick, what do we do?”

 

“She can’t be Sailor Moon,” Rei said. “She was running a low-grade fever for the past few days and it’s spiked. Transforming could make it worse. She needs rest, which means we need someone else to keep an eye on Chibiusa.”

 

“What about battles?” Ami asked. “We can’t destroy these enemies. According to the computer the four of us combined would only be able to take down weaker monsters, and that wouldn’t be a guarantee.”

 

Minako glanced at Kunzite. “Can you do anything? Destroy them, maybe?”

 

The stern Shitennou nodded slowly. “Yes, with time and effort, but it would be draining. I am not compatible with the Senshi without the remainder of my team, and I would be unable to match any of their commanders on my own.”

 

“So what’s left?” Makoto demanded, ignoring the mention of the generals they could only remember with loathing. “This is a mess. Do we just pray the enemy won’t make a move?”

 

Usagi joined the conversation for the first time. “That won’t happen. Chibiusa is scared, and I won’t be able to stay with her. She’ll panic soon. We also can’t predict the next time they’ll try to take a location. That store can’t be the only one.”

 

“She’s right,” Rei said with a sigh. “After Sailor Moon defeated the monster, I was in the basement helping the clerks. The place was deliberately being filled with dark power.”

 

Everyone but Motoki and Rei filed out to continue their discussion downstairs. “Are you all right?” Motoki asked Usagi. “Mamoru-kun was worried about you.”

 

“You can’t tell him,” she said tiredly. “Please. Say it’s the flu or something. It’s all right if you tell him you know who we are, but keep this secret for me.”

 

“I can do that,” he said reluctantly. “Will you be okay though?”

 

She plastered on a second fake smile. “Of course. I can do anything, after all.”

 

He nodded and headed out. Rei rounded on her as soon as he was gone. “Of course you’ll be all right?! You can do anything?!”

 

Usagi winced. “Calm down, Rei. I just don’t need more people hovering over me.”

 

She took several deep breaths to cool her raging temper. “Okay. I’m sorry for yelling at you.”  She sat on the edge of her bed and changed the washcloth on her forehead again. “You’re burning up. You shouldn’t be this far gone; something is wrong.”

 

Her eyes closed as she relaxed against the pillows. “I thought so, but I was afraid to say something. I didn’t want you to worry.”

 

Rei watched for a few moments, realizing she was beginning to fall asleep. “You should rest. Ami-chan will keep an eye on you.”

 

“If you insist,” she answered faintly. “I’m tired, Rei-chan.”

 

“Sleep well, Usagi. I hope you feel better tomorrow.” She was already out by the time the door shut, and Rei joined the others in Usagi’s family room. 

 

“How is she?” Makoto demanded. 

 

“She’s sleeping. Ami-chan, stay with her. She’d be an easy target like this.”

 

“Of course,” Ami agreed. “It’ll spread us thin, but we’ll manage. Their safety is the most important thing right now.”

 

“Minako-chan, you need to patrol,” the priestess continued. “I know you’re the leader, but out of all of us you and Kunzite have the best shot if a monster attacks. I can deal with the rest for now. Chibiusa will be with Mamoru-san or here, so whichever of us is with Usagi will keep an eye on her too. If she goes out, she goes with a guard. Mako-chan, would you be okay with taking her while she’s not here or at school?”

 

“Sure, but what about you? If Ami-chan will be staying with Usagi-chan and Minako-chan is covering the streets, what will you do?”

 

“Scrying, mostly,” Rei replied. “I also need to talk to Mamoru-san. They wanted to keep Chibiusa here, but there’s no way Usagi can handle it right now.”

 

Everyone headed for the clearing to train. The miko followed, lost in thought.

 

88888888

 

Tuxedo Kamen waited for the others to leave before he even considered moving. Kunzite had set protective spells around his apartment like the ones in the clearing and Luna had come to watch Chibiusa, so he wasn’t worried about her. Usagi held his attention and he wouldn’t be able to rest until he did what he could to help. Staying away was destroying him. His powers were growing unstable, and he had no explanation. Still, he could ease her pain once she was alone. 

 

Climbing to her window an hour later, the hero peered inside. Ami was asleep, head on Usagi’s bed. The blonde wasn’t moving, but her feverish flush was vivid. Tuxedo Kamen slipped the window open just enough to reach Usagi. Like before, his magic wouldn’t heal her, but he managed to soothe the worst of it. He’d do it every day if he had to, and he’d find a way to get rid of whatever was making her sick. The masked hero melted into the shadows as Ami stirred. 


	2. Part 2

There wasn’t much Usagi could say about the following week. She drifted in and out of consciousness, but every so often she’d feel almost normal for a while. The Senshi were nearby constantly, and her mother excused her from school. She mentioned sending the blonde to the hospital, but the others shot her down. 

 

Ami in particular stayed with her, and they did homework together when she brought it. She also kept Usagi updated on the others. There had been battles, but they managed. The rest of the Spectre sisters had appeared. Chibiusa was holding up well, but there’d been close calls. 

 

Motoki came to visit a lot, and he told her how Mamoru was doing. She was glad, but at the same time it hurt. She knew he’d come by at least once, but she hadn’t seen him. 

 

It was one of her good days. She felt strong enough to move and ate dinner with her family and Motoki, her babysitter  _ du jour _ . She even watched a half hour of TV before she went back upstairs. The blonde curled up under a mountain of quilts. She was always so cold. 

 

The girl poked at her school things but couldn’t find the energy to get work done. She shoved the textbooks off her bed. “Why hasn’t Mamo-chan come? I’m so tired… I want this over. I want to tell him so we can stop this and be happy again.”

 

“I thought you wanted him to come back on his own.”

 

“I do,” she replied, “but I can’t keep this up. I’m not getting any better, and everyone is in danger because I’m not there. I can’t let them get hurt because I’m too proud to tell him and put an end to this mess.”

 

The Moon Senshi heard her communicator – a watch-shaped model Luna had given them in a meeting in addition to new transformation wands for the others – and opened it. Mars called everyone to the park. Usagi could hardly bear setting the device aside without racing off to help. 

 

“I know it’s hard to stay here,” Motoki said, “but it’s better this way.”

 

“They shouldn’t be doing this without me.”

 

He smiled. “They want you to be okay more than they want you out there.”

 

Usagi was about to respond when a bad feeling hit. The Silver Crystal sparkled and pulsed as she opened her brooch. “Something’s wrong,” she whispered. She crept cautiously along the bonds between herself and the others. Most were unresponsive, which frightened her. Mars’ was still active, so she reached for it.  _ What happened?! _ the blonde demanded, almost frantic.  _ I can tell something’s going on, but what?! _

 

_ It’s bad,  _ the fiery Senshi responded. _ This droid… It’s more powerful than the others. Almost everyone is down. _

 

_ I’ll be there soon. _

 

_ Don’t even think about it! _ she shouted.  _ You’re too sick! I can manage on my own, so don’t you dare, Usagi! _

 

Mars cut her off, and cold dread crept up Usagi’s spine. The Silver Crystal burned in her hand. She tried to reach Mars again but couldn’t. Kunzite was all right judging by their link, but he wasn’t responding, which meant Venus was hurt. That did it; she wasn’t staying home if her friends were in danger. She shoved her quilts back and got up with only a little shaking.

 

Motoki was there in a moment. “What are you doing?! Get back in bed!”

 

“I have to go,” she said, one fist clenched around the Crystal Star. 

 

“Usagi-chan, you need to stay here. That’s what they want!”

 

“You don’t understand!” she flared. “They’re in trouble. They’re hurt. If I don’t help them, they’ll die!”

 

“If you do too much,  _ you’ll _ die!”

 

“I don’t care! They are  _ everything _ to me. I can’t let them die for my sake! Do you have any idea how it feels?! It already happened twice, and I won’t let it happen again!”

 

The Silver Crystal flashed and she transformed. Motoki looked ready to keep arguing, but he stopped. “Do what you have to,” he said with a sigh, “but please, be careful.”

 

“I will,” the younger teen promised as she leapt out the window, the crystal making her stronger. She’d pay for it later, but the crystal was channeling power into her from the full moon high overhead, dim though it was in the light of the setting sun. 

 

The park was badly singed and torn up. Mercury and Jupiter were in front, Venus not far away. Kunzite was at her side, doing everything he could for her. Mars was awake, but she was trembling so much it was clear she didn’t have long before she passed out. Tuxedo Kamen was in a tree nursing an arm wound. His powers weren’t repairing it as quickly as usual. It would take five minutes or more, she guessed. The droid was big and ugly, as always, but she didn’t pay much attention to it. She focused on the Spectre sisters and the man with them. She recognized him from the reports – his name was Crimson Rubeus and he commanded the sisters. That meant whatever had happened so far was his doing. 

 

Koan was about to attack Mars when she made her entrance. “Stop!” the Moon Senshi shouted, leaping into view.

 

“Don’t!” Mars yelled, but it was too late. She was there, and it was time to take matters into her own hands. 

 

Sailor Moon’s Moon Rod flew to her hand. She aimed at the droid. “MOON PRINCESS HALATION!” The attack disintegrated it, and she swung at the others. Reaching out, she knew the sisters weren’t gone yet. They still had good in them. She switched her focus to the gem in her brooch. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER!”

 

Waves of silver flowed around them, despite their struggles. It became a battle of wills as she held Rubeus off, simultaneously dragging the sisters’ humanity to the forefront and tearing through the darkness all around them. After an intense struggle it broke and the sisters fell to the ground, black moon marks fading. 

 

Sailor Moon was having a hard time staying upright, but she still had Rubeus to contend with. He fired an attack at her a moment later, and she didn’t make it out of the way in time. His exploding dark orbs managed to graze her side. She exhaled sharply. 

 

“You can’t beat me, Sailor Moon,” he taunted, already recovered from the shock of her sudden appearance. “We finally found you.”

 

“You didn’t find me!” she shot back. “I came on my own because I won’t let you hurt my friends anymore!” More of the orbs formed and she tensed. She didn’t know if she’d be able to avoid the attack. The rod shook in her trembling hand. 

 

“Say goodbye, Sailor Moon!”

 

The blonde braced herself, but Kunzite finally moved. A boomerang arced into the attack’s path and threw it aside, igniting a tree. He teleported to the villain, swords weaving in a complicated assault. Rubeus fell back several paces as he tried to avoid the swings. Abruptly the red-haired man vanished and appeared by Venus.

 

“Attack me again,” he threatened, “and I finish her.”

 

Kunzite froze. “Do not touch her,” he hissed.

 

“Kunzite,” Sailor Moon called, “it’s all right. I can handle this. Just stay with her.”

 

“Throw down your weapon,” Rubeus ordered.

 

She tossed the rod to the side, not bothering to tell him it would come back if she called it. “Let go of Sailor Venus.”

 

Rubeus flew away and Kunzite was there the second he was gone, scooping his girlfriend up and holding her close. He glared at the enemy. “Just you and me, Sailor Moon,” Rubeus sneered. “Can you really deal with me alone? I don’t think so.”

 

He attacked before she knew he was moving, and she didn’t have time to run. Before it struck, arms enfolded her and pulled her to safety. She twisted to see Tuxedo Kamen holding her. A second attack came at them, but a rose met each orb and shattered it. Tuxedo Kamen turned to Prince Endymion, but he changed back right away. Shaking off his surprise, he drew his cane and took a protective stance.

 

“That won’t work!” she warned, trying to push him out of the way. “You’re not strong enough to fight him, Tuxedo Kamen-sama!”

 

Another blast came, and he swung his cane. “TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!” he shouted, his words surprising them both. Not only did the explosion of magic stop Rubeus’ strike, it also knocked him back. “Now, Sailor Moon!”

 

“Right!” The rod flew back to her. “MOON PRINCESS HALATION!”

 

He was strong and she wasn’t. Still, she forced the rod to listen to her command. It was meant to fight monsters, not… Well, she wasn’t sure if he was human, but he was a person. There was just nothing in him to save. Finally her attack broke through and he collapsed. The Moon Senshi knelt by his side, but his expression was one of pure rage. 

 

“So you won today,” he spat. “I’m not the last of Dark Moon. This isn’t over.”

 

“Maybe not,” she answered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help, though. No one deserves this.”

 

He stopped breathing. She reached out to close his eyes, bowing her head. Mars hobbled over, slowed by a broken leg, and murmured a Shinto ritual for the dead before laying a hand on his chest and incinerating his body. 

 

“We can’t leave behind a corpse,” she explained. “I’ll take the ashes to the shrine. Grandpa and I will see that he’s put to rest.”

 

“Goodbye,” Tuxedo Kamen said behind them as he turned to leave.

 

Sailor Moon couldn’t resist following him to the clearing. “Thank you,” she said. 

 

“It’s my duty,” he replied without turning. 

 

She reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her. “Can’t you tell me why? Don’t I deserve the truth?” She didn’t have much time before her body gave out, but she wanted him to tell her so she could fix everything. 

 

“It’s not you,” he said finally. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

_ I didn’t tell you. _ “Just explain. Please.”

 

His hand seemed to move of its own accord as he stroked her cheek before it fell to her side and accelerated the healing of her wound. It was strange he didn’t repair it entirely, but she didn’t comment. “I love you, and I shouldn’t have lied about that. We just can’t be together.”

 

He began to walk away, but Sailor Moon couldn’t let it be. “Did you think I wouldn’t understand?” she asked. “I can read your mind. I could’ve done it any time, but I haven’t. Why can’t you tell me the truth?”

 

His eyes slid to hers and the sadness she saw there almost made her cry. They were both miserable for nothing. “I don’t want you to get hurt,” he murmured. “I never have.”

 

Then he was gone, leaping through the trees. She felt better since he’d admitted he still loved her, but until he removed the block, nothing could save her. She watched until he was well out of sight. Her knees trembled and she sank to the ground. 

 

“Why?” the Moon Senshi asked the surroundings. “What’s the point of all this suffering? Can’t love be enough?”

 

Kunzite appeared, Venus in his arms. She was awake, and Sailor Moon was glad. “Are you all right?” Venus asked. “You shouldn’t have come.”

 

“I had no choice,” the other girl said hollowly. “I couldn’t abandon you.”

 

Kunzite set her down next to her leader, and Venus gave her a hug. “He’s just being an idiot. It’ll be okay.”

 

“I hope so,” she whispered against her guard’s hair. “I don’t know how long I can deal with this, V-chan. It’s so hard…”

 

The others filed in. Mercury seemed fairly well off – her concussion had already healed and the break in her left arm was a clean one. Kunzite put it in a splint for her before she began checking the others. Jupiter had some fractured ribs and bad burns. Sailor Moon gagged and looked away, but Mercury told her it was already beginning to mend. Kunzite gave her a quick tutorial in healing magic while the Moon Senshi rested against a tree. 

 

Working over Jupiter’s wounds took a quarter hour, but she was the worst. Mars’ broken leg was set and would heal by morning, and Mercury closed the slash wounds on her abdomen. Venus had taken some spinal damage, but she would recover in a few hours after the icy Senshi did what she could. Mercury came to the Moon Senshi last since she’d ordered the healer to take care of the others. Since the wound in her side had knit, she only had to worry about energy loss.

 

“We’ve never broken bones before,” Venus observed. “That was one bad fight.”

 

“It’s a good thing Sailor Moon showed up,” Jupiter said, “or we’d be dead.”

 

Mars glared at the blonde. “She should’ve stayed home like we told her. She’s sick and has no place going into battle.”

 

Mercury held up her hand. “She hasn’t taken much harm for what she did. We should be thanking her for coming.”

 

“You would’ve done it for me,” she said. “I’m just glad I made it in time.”

 

They all froze as a sense of dark power rolled over them.

 

“What was that?” Kunzite asked softly, reaching for his swords.

 

Whatever it was, it was in their supposedly safe clearing with them. 

 

88888888

 

A sudden change in the wind made Tenou Haruka stop mid-step. Even as a child she’d been sensitive to the touch of a breeze and often predicted storms long before they reached her. Now the abrupt disturbance caught her attention completely. 

 

“Tenou, what are you doing?!” the track coach shouted behind her. “Keep going!”

 

Haruka had been running since school ended and it was past dinner. She ignored him and glanced at a girl sitting nearby. Kaiou Michiru was also looking around curiously. The breeze died altogether and became heavy on Haruka’s skin. It didn’t feel like a storm. It was… sinister. 

 

“Haruka?” Michiru said. “Is something wrong?”

 

She began to shake her head but stopped. “I don’t know. Something’s strange.”

 

The other girl nodded. “The seas are wild tonight.” She glanced at a newspaper by her books. “The moon should be out. Where is it?”

 

Darkness had fallen without Haruka’s realizing, but she noticed now. She’d seen the full moon earlier, but rather than its gentle familiarity, all she saw was black. The coach gave up yelling and headed in, telling her to go all out the next time she had practice. They ignored him. A sudden surge of awareness crashed over them as the wind howled, twining around Haruka like a frightened pet. Two wands appeared before them, the only light to be seen. 

 

“What is that?!” Haruka demanded. 

 

“I don’t know!” Michiru replied. “Something bad is happening!”

 

Haruka started to reach for the one closest to her but stopped with her fingers a few centimeters away. “Something will change if I touch it. I don’t know if I should!” 

 

“The sea says yes! Whatever’s going on, we have to take them!” Michiru had always been known for her accurate intuition and it had made them friends as children despite the way they kept their distance from everyone else. 

 

Haruka considered. “Together!” she called through an even stronger gust of wind, her voice rising above it like a thunderclap. “On three! One! Two!”

 

“Three!” they said and as one they reached out and grasped the strange wands. They seemed to trigger an old memory and words came to both. 

 

“URANUS PLANET POWER, MAKE-UP!”

 

“NEPTUNE PLANET POWER, MAKE-UP!”

 

Neither could believe what happened, but their actions were so automatic it was like they’d done it a thousand times. A ring of light formed around both. Haruka was surrounded by a gold hurricane as water encircled Michiru. They were clothed in form fitting sailor uniforms with short gloves and gold tiaras. Michiru wore heels with ribbons crossing at her ankles; Haruka’s track shoes became low boots. 

 

They knew what they were now – Sailor Senshi, defenders of the solar system bound to the Moon Princess.  It was their duty to protect the alliance from outside invaders, but they would be called to serve their mistress directly should her Guardian Senshi prove too weak. 

 

Haruka smoothed her hands along the white of her uniform. “How can this be?”

 

Memories swamped the new warriors. With it came understanding of their sudden awakening when no outsider threatened the peace. “The princess!” Michiru gasped in horror. “She’s in trouble!”

 

“Michiru… no, Sailor Neptune,” Uranus said, “what do we do? I don’t even know if the princess is alive.”

 

Neptune shook her head. “No, she is, and she’s nearby. She’s in danger. We have to help her!” The aqua-haired Senshi closed her eyes and concentrated. “I’m looking for her, but ask the wind. It might know where to go.”

 

Uranus turned her gaze skyward and tried to find answers there as Neptune communed with the waters. “The park!” they said together. “Juuban Park!”

 

“Run!” Uranus commanded, breaking into a dead sprint. “Before it’s too late!”

 

88888888

 

Kunzite was the only one who’d escaped the last battle unharmed, but he couldn’t leave Venus. Sailor Moon forced herself up and drew the Moon Rod. Her energy was falling off and she’d be lucky to take the thing out before she fainted. Her Senshi formed a ring around her despite their injuries. 

 

The thing seemed content to let them watch it for the moment. Mercury whipped out her computer. “Whatever it is, it’s powerful,” she reported. “I can’t get a good read on it.”

 

The monster charged the Moon Senshi at dizzying speeds. She didn’t have time to react, and the impact threw the warrior into a tree. The crash jolted through her entire body. She gritted her teeth as she fell, rod flying away. Dazed, all Sailor Moon could do was observe her enemy. The monster was about four meters tall, a reptile with massive teeth focused on raw strength and speed instead of intelligence or finesse. As she laid there trying to convince her battered body to move, its tail caught two of the others. Mars screamed as it jarred her broken leg. Jupiter managed to get to her feet, but some of her wounds began to bleed again. 

 

“Kunzite!” Sailor Moon shouted. “Take V-chan and get out of here!”

 

“We cannot abandon you!” he argued as he drew his swords.

 

“Now!” she ordered as she got up. It hurt, but she had no choice. “You have to listen to me! I’ll stop the monster!” He hesitated a moment too long. It crashed into him as it had the Moon Senshi, throwing him into a shrub. He recovered well, but it turned on Venus. “Now!” He listened. One teleport took him to them and drove the enemy back. He grabbed his girlfriend and vanished. Enraged by the loss of its prey, the monster bugled a challenge. “Use your Spray!” Sailor Moon told Mercury desperately. “Give us cover!”

 

“I don’t know if I can!” The monster round on them and determination filled her eyes. “SHABON SPRAY!” Cool mist filled the clearing, but the pain in her broken arm was sickening and she sank to her knees. 

 

“Mercury,” the blonde whispered. The rod flew back. “Thank you.”

 

She ran, leading the monster away. It plunged after her, knowing she’d be easy to catch. It caught up near the playground they’d found Chibiusa at not too long ago and hurled her at a metal slide, which caved in as she hit. Sharp edges tore her skin. Sailor Moon prayed for Tuxedo Kamen, but he couldn’t sense her trouble. The Senshi were in no shape to fight. She crawled out of the rubble and forced herself to face the monster again. It was laughing at her, she realized as it made a wheezing noise. It would to play with her like a cat with a mouse, and it would kill her.

 

“WORLD SHAKING!”

 

An orb of gold-orange light struck the monster and knocked it forward several paces. It hissed and turned, pressing a claw to the wound. A pair of Senshi stood opposite it. One, a tall blonde, had obviously been the attacker. The other was surrounded by a wave of seawater the color of her hair as she prepared her own assault. 

 

“DEEP SUBMERGE!”

 

This orb was blue and confirmed the Moon Senshi’s suspicions as the monster was destroyed. She fell as her magic gave out, returning to civilian form in a burst of ribbons. Both Senshi knelt by her side, but she was too weak to move. Neptune lifted the blonde’s head into her lap while Uranus took her hand. The older warrior’s eyes were worried. 

 

A smile drifted across the girl’s face. “You just awakened? But you remember…”

 

“Your soul bond is breaking,” Neptune observed. 

 

“The wind says it’s going too far,” Uranus added. 

 

She’d missed them. They’d been only occasional presences in Serenity’s life, but they’d been as dear to her as the others. Uranus, through all her bluster and bark, was a devoted friend. Neptune was always willing to give advice when the younger girls were troubled. She’d hoped they would be spared, but her danger had called them to war. 

 

“I know,” Usagi said finally. “I’m running out of time. Thank you for saving me.”

 

Darkness clouded her vision and she fell into its painless depths. 

 

88888888

 

“Damn it!” Uranus cursed as she glared at the unconscious form of her princess. “How did the others let this happen?!”

 

“They might not know,” Neptune cautioned, ever the voice of reason. 

 

Kunzite appeared as the moon shone through the breaking clouds. Uranus was on her feet in an instant. He held up his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. “I am not here to fight, Sailor Uranus,” he said. “I only mean to escort the princess home.”

 

“Why should I trust you with her?!”

 

“She rescued me from the Dark Kingdom, saved my life and brought me back to myself. I am aligned with the Senshi and serve her as I do my prince.”

 

“I don’t buy it,” Uranus barked. “You betrayed everyone. If it hadn’t been for you and the other Shitennou, the Silver Millennium would have survived!”

 

“And I will always regret it, but I was not to blame. My men and I were victims too,” Kunzite said coolly. Her words burned, but Minako had torn into him the last time he’d made a similar remark. “Sailor Pluto has accepted my presence. Will you not trust her judgment?”

 

Uranus’ stance wavered, and Neptune touched her arm. “There’s no dark energy in him,” she told her partner. “I don’t think they know what’s happening.”

 

Nodding to her partner, Uranus addressed Kunzite. “If you plan on taking her anywhere, we’re going too.”

 

He inclined his head. “I have no objection. Doubtless the Senshi will want to thank you. They were wounded and did not have the strength to defend her.”

 

“You seem fine,” the taller girl said with undisguised bitterness.

 

“By the princess’s orders, I removed Venus from the field to save her life. I was not able to return for a few moments. When I did, she and the monster were gone. I took the other Senshi to her home before I began to search for her.”

 

“Is that protocol?”

 

“We have no procedure for such circumstances; this is the first battle in which the entire team was hurt. The princess was forced to act or we might have perished.”

 

Uranus grudgingly accepted his response as Neptune stroked the unconscious girl’s hair. “She’s running a high fever.”

 

“Yes, she has been at home for a week due to illness. May I take her now?”

 

Neptune nodded, so he picked her up. “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

 

“I am told she is suffering an unpleasant bout of the flu. Now, if each of you would grasp one of my shoulders…?”

 

Neptune did without argument, but Uranus hesitated. “You’re sure we can trust him?” she asked. When her partner nodded, she grumbled and laid her hand on the edge of his cape.

 

“Tightly, please. The transfer will not include you if you do not have a firm grip.”

 

They did as instructed and he teleported. They arrived in the middle of an uproar as Mercury attempted to restrain her sister Senshi in their urge to look for Usagi. 

 

“Usagi-chan!” Mars realized as Venus’ head came up when she sensed Kunzite. 

 

“Set her on the bed,” Mercury shouted over the chaos. She ignored the general’s companions and the reactions of the others, preferring to see to her friend first. “I need to find out if she’s all right. What happened?”

 

“Neptune and I defeated the monster and she collapsed,” Uranus explained. “Now I’d like to know why you were foolish enough to let her into battle in her condition.”

 

“It’s only the flu,” Jupiter said with a frown. 

 

“It isn’t!” Uranus shouted. “Do you really not know? She’s dying!”

 

A heavy silence fell. “What?” Mercury asked. “I don’t understand.”

 

Mars winced. “I do.”

 

A moment later Uranus had her in a headlock as Neptune tried to make her to let go. “You knew?! How could you let her suffer like this?!”

 

“Her orders!” Mars gasped. “Let go of me!”

 

“What’s going on?!” Venus demanded, struggling to get to her feet. Kunzite pressed her back into the chair. 

 

“Her soul bond is breaking,” Neptune told them as she forced her partner to release the younger teen. “It’s very rare. When someone’s lover breaks their bond, both parties suffer. For the princess, given her magic is tied to the soul, it will kill her.”

 

Mercury’s color drained. “No.”

 

“If we hadn’t come,” said Neptune, “she would have died in the attack.”

 

“We seem to have awakened with most of our memories,” Uranus added. “It was easy to recognize her. I’d like an explanation about the princess being a Senshi, but it can wait. Right now the important thing is to save her life.”

 

Venus’ eyes were troubled. “Mars, why didn’t she tell us?!”

 

“I Saw it. She asked me not to say anything,” Mars murmured, rubbing her throat. “We didn’t realize she’d get so bad so soon.”   
  


Uranus rounded on Venus. “Your specialty is love. You should’ve known!”

 

Venus shook her head. “I’ve been in charge of the battles while she’s out of commission, so I haven’t been with her for more than a few minutes since this started.”

 

Mercury pulled out her computer and began running a scan. “Pluto sent someone who needed our protection. She’s with the prince’s reincarnation.”

 

“She’s from the future,” Jupiter told them. “A child, but our enemy is after her.”

 

Venus pushed herself to her feet. “I have to do something.”

 

“Stay still,” Kunzite cautioned, trying to return her to her seat.

 

She brushed him off. “I’m fine. Someone has to fix this before it gets worse.”

 

“You suffered a spinal injury,” he said. “You risk doing more damage if you move. How will you be of aid to your princess then?”

 

“I need to help her!” the blonde shouted. “She kept me away so I wouldn’t know what was going on! She knew I wouldn’t let this be!”

 

“It’s not… your choice,” Usagi gasped as she came to. “Leave it, Venus.” Kunzite took the opportunity to force his girlfriend back into her chair. 

 

“You’re awake!” Mercury exclaimed.

 

“Yeah,” she replied before a cough tore through her fragile frame. Her eyes fixed on the newcomers. “Uranus. Neptune. I thought I was hallucinating.”

 

“We’re really here,” Neptune said as she knelt at the girl’s bedside. “Do you remember what happened earlier?”

 

Her eyes fluttered closed again. “I’d just saved the others, but we were attacked by a monster. The Senshi couldn’t fight, so I led it away. You and Uranus killed it.”

 

Uranus glanced at the rest of the team for confirmation; they nodded. “Why didn’t they know what was happening to you?”

 

A faint smile formed. “I didn’t… want them to worry. I’m so tired…”

 

“You overextended yourself. Using your powers exhausted you,” Mercury said. 

 

She shrugged. “Couldn’t be helped… Don’t worry about me… I’ll be all right.”

 

“How can you say that?!” Jupiter shouted. 

 

“Chibiusa… is here… so I’ll be fine…” She slipped off.

 

Mercury glanced at her computer. “She’s in bad shape, everyone. I can’t help her.”

 

“Even if you could,” Mars said, “you’re drained too. You’re about to collapse; we all are. We’ve been too worried about Usagi-chan to notice.”

 

“Pity,” a new voice drawled. Usagi’s body floated in front of the window as a young man appeared. He was tall with heavy white hair and striking blue-violet eyes. A black crescent on his forehead marked him as a member of Dark Moon. “I will just have to take her with me, as you are  _ clearly _ too weary to fight.”

 

Uranus and Neptune hurtled forward, but they bounced off a force field. Uranus threw her hand up as a golden globe formed, but Usagi and her kidnapper vanished. “No!” Uranus screamed. “Damn it! We awakened to protect her and we failed!”

 

Neptune’s face was ashen. “Who was that?”

 

Mars shook her head, eyes wide with disbelief. “We’ve never seen him before, but he must be one of our enemies. The black moon mark on his forehead is their symbol.”

 

“What about Usagi-chan?!” Venus panicked. “With exposure to dark magic… She can’t handle it in her condition!”

 

“Quiet!” Uranus snapped. “I know she’s your friend, but right now you need to be warriors. Can you handle that?!”

 

Mercury forced her exhausted body up. “Usagi-chan purified four women tonight. They might be able to tell us something.”

 

“Then see what they know,” the older girl ordered. Mercury raced down the tree at the window and ran with every ounce of strength she had left for the hospital.

 

Venus surged to her feet again and wouldn’t let Kunzite push her back. “I’m going to stop the bond damage from getting worse. Kunzite, take me to Mamoru-san!”

 

“Venus!” he berated. “You  _ must _ rest!”

 

“I won’t!” she yelled. “Not while Usagi-chan’s life is in danger! She’s gone and he’s the only one who can trace her, but he can’t if their bond breaks. He has to stop it!”

 

His grip tightened on her wrist. “It is not my place to defy the princess’s wishes.”

 

“No,” Venus said, “but it’s mine. Take me or I’ll go myself.”

 

Kunzite looked at the Outers. Neptune nodded. “We need his help.  _ She _ needs it.” He sighed but reluctantly nodded and lifted Venus into his arms. They vanished.

 

“I need to fire-gaze,” Mars decided. “Excuse me, everyone.”

 

Uranus wanted to stop her, but Neptune held her back. They watched her run. “Let it go. This is her way of making up for what happened, and she can’t be blamed for obeying orders.”

 

“If she’d told the others sooner, this wouldn’t have been an issue. They can’t blame me for being angry.”

 

“If you’re this upset, imagine how they feel. They’re so close to her, and they found out she’s been suffering and never said a word. Mars was a good friend and supported her even though she disagreed. At least she wasn’t completely alone.”

 

88888888

 

Venus and Kunzite appeared in Mamoru’s living room. They heard water in the kitchen but it switched off and he stepped into view. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Mamoru asked as he dried his hands. “Are you guys all right?”   
  


Kunzite glanced down at his girlfriend with some worry. “She was hurt during the battle and it has not yet finished healing.”

 

“I can help,” he offered. 

 

Venus, who’d stewed during the short exchange, blew. “Like you help Usagi-chan!” 

 

He studied her warily. “I do everything I can to help her. What happened?”

 

“You!” she shouted. “You and your idiot behavior! Do you know what you’ve done?!”

 

Mamoru looked at Kunzite. “What’s she talking about?”

 

Venus struggled, but the general held on. “I should think not, Venus.” He turned to his prince. “There have been some unpleasant revelations tonight. A monster came to the clearing after you left. The Senshi could not fight with their wounds, so Sailor Moon led it away though it had already injured her.”

 

Mamoru went pale. “Is she okay?”

 

Kunzite hesitated, but the golden Senshi didn’t. “Stop dodging,” she snapped. “If the Outers hadn’t appeared she would’ve been toast, and that’s not the worst of it. She’s dying, Mamoru-baka, because of you and your stupid pride or whatever the hell it is!”

 

“What?! No. She can’t be.”

 

“She is! When you pushed her away you started to break your bond! Maybe you don’t remember what that means, but I do. You’re killing her!”

 

“She never said a word!”

 

“She wouldn’t,” Venus said bitterly. “She doesn’t like to bother us. Now she’s dying and only you can do something about it.”

 

“Why are you telling me now?”

 

Before she could answer, Chibiusa stumbled into the room. “Mamo-chan?”

 

He scooped her up. “You’re supposed to be in bed, sweetie. Is anything wrong?”

 

“I heard yelling.” Her little brow furrowed. “Did I do something?”

 

“Of course not,” Mamoru soothed. “We didn’t mean to yell. Sorry for waking you up; Venus is hurt and letting her temper run away with her.”

 

Chibiusa glanced at the fuming blonde. “V-chan? What happened?”

 

The older girl forced a smile. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”

 

“Go back to bed,” Mamoru instructed. “Luna will worry if she wakes up.”

 

“Okay,” the child agreed. “Night, Papa.”

 

“Good night.” She climbed down and meandered back to the bedroom. Everyone listened until they heard the door latch. Mamoru sighed in relief. “She didn’t hear. I’m glad.” He glanced at the others. “We should go outside or we’ll wake her up again.”

 

“No, we can remain here,” Kunzite said. “I can keep the noise contained.”

 

“Please,” Mamoru nodded. “I asked why I was just finding out now.” 

 

Venus glared at him. “You’re not the only one.”

 

“Venus,” Kunzite scolded. “You cannot expect him to listen if you are hostile.”

 

She huffed. “Fine, but it’s still his fault. She was kidnapped tonight while she was too weak to fight back.”

 

Mamoru backed up several steps. “No.”

 

“Yes,” Kunzite confirmed with reluctance. “We had no warning. A young man from the Black Moon Clan appeared and took her before we could do anything.”

 

Mamoru’s jaw set. “Tell me what to do.”

 

“You have to undo the damage to your bond,” Venus explained. “I won’t waste any more time being mad; there’s too much on the line. You can track Usagi with your connection; you’d find her much faster than we can.”

 

“I don’t know how,” Mamoru said with frustration. “I didn’t mean to break our bond in the first place. I didn’t know I could.”

 

“Well, you can,” Venus replied tartly. “Only you can fix it. Ask Endymion.”

 

The dark haired man grimaced. “I… can’t. I haven’t been able to reach him. My powers aren’t working properly.”

 

Understanding lit Kunzite’s eyes. “A broken bond affects both parties. Endymion-sama’s consciousness is bound to the princess, and as she is dying… You lose him.”

 

“Do you know, Venus?” Mamoru asked. “This is your specialty, isn’t it?”

 

She prodded her ancient memories. “This wasn’t common, but I think you just need to remove the block. It won’t repair the damage, but it’ll keep things from getting worse.”

 

He nodded. “Is it really so simple?”

 

“That’s all you can do now. You have to be together to reform the bond.”

 

He paused then reached out and laid his hand on her side. “Thank you for telling me.”

 

She eyed him with irritation. “You’ve been a jerk and I should yell a lot more than I already have, but there are more important things. I did my job.”

 

“Injured and in pain,” he observed. “That means a lot.” Golden light formed and wrapped itself around his hand and her torso, targeting her spine. She felt some of her strength returning. Mamoru turned to Kunzite. “Send her back. I want to talk to you.”

 

Kunzite studied Venus, noticing her color was better and she was moving freely. “Very well.” A moment’s concentration deposited her in the chair she’d been using in Usagi’s room before he turned his attention to his prince. “What is it you wish to know?”

 

“Did you realize Usako was so sick?” Mamoru demanded. 

 

The Shitennou shook his head. “Sailor Moon was unable to join battles due to what we believed was a bad bout of the flu, so Venus and I swept the city to ensure we were not surprised by droid attacks as we are the only ones capable of destroying them. Usagi-sama or Rei-sama knew we would be quick to realize what was happening and wanted to keep us at a distance.”

 

The irate man paced the room. “I haven’t been any use to her since… Well. I haven’t even been aware of battles.”

 

“As I understand it, you did not know that you were Tuxedo Kamen until you gained a Rainbow Crystal. Your magic is stabilized by the link between you. When that started to fade, so too did your control. It is an understandable occurrence.”

 

Mamoru rounded on Kunzite. “Do you know  _ anything _ else?”

 

He sighed. “No, but you must stop blocking your link to Usagi-sama.” He stood behind Mamoru and put his hands on either side of his head, creating a power circuit. A red string appeared on the little finger of Mamoru’s right hand, and he studied it curiously.

 

“What is it?”

 

“That is the red string of fate. My powers are bound to Venus’s; though I lack the full extent of her gift, I am capable of letting others see this. Gaze further.”

 

Mamoru’s eyes drifted along the length of the cord. “It’s fraying.”

 

“A magical sign of the damage done. Though it is frayed it has not snapped, and because of this Usagi-sama survives. Do you see any sort of knot or blockage?”

 

He focused as best he could. “A knot. There’s a knot in the middle.”

 

“You tied it by shutting her out. Undo it,” Kunzite instructed.

 

Mamoru was about to do as instructed, but he paused. “Everything has a price when it comes to our powers. What should I expect?”

 

“I do not understand the mechanics of soul bonds or their repair. The very few I knew who had experience in the matter never spoke of it. I would expect at least an energy drain.”

 

“And at worst?”

 

The general could only shrug, which did nothing for his confidence, but Mamoru pushed the doubts aside. Usagi’s life was on the line and it shouldn’t have happened when the dreams said staying away would save her. No price was too great if it meant her survival. Focusing, he began to pick apart the knot. There was some resistance, but he’d expected it. Finally the last loop came undone and the string continued uninterrupted.

 

“It’s done,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Can I find her now?”

 

Kunzite’s response was drowned out as pain tore through Mamoru. There were all sorts of wild emotions at once, and they scorched his mind. He fell to his knees, clutching his skull. He saw Kunzite crouching through his watering eyes and could tell he was speaking, but he couldn’t focus on the words. It hurt so much!

 

The leader of the Shitennou touched his shoulder and the chaos lifted enough for him to understand what was being said. “Mamoru-sama?”

 

“That burned,” Mamoru gasped. “Gods, I never expected that.”

 

“What happened?” Kunzite pressed. 

 

“Pain,” he replied. “And feelings that don’t make sense. What’s happening?”

 

“Are you still experiencing this?” Mamoru nodded, trying to force it back. “It is likely the emotions that would have been transmitted from Usagi-sama, and the pain is from the summons to her aid. I would also suspect,” he added with a faint grimace, “it will be at least several hours until it clears. You will not find Usagi-sama tonight.”

 

“Great,” he managed. “That’s just amazing, isn’t it?” Another wave of agony swamped him and he groaned. 

 

Kunzite studied him. “These are the consequences for upsetting your soul bond. Would you prefer I stay with you until it passes?”

 

Mamoru shook his head and winced when it made the pain worse. “No thanks. I doubt I’d be any sort of decent company. I’ll let you know the instant I can start looking.”

 

The older man vanished, no doubt to return to Venus’ side, and Mamoru dragged himself to his balcony for air. Clouds filled the sky and lightning flashed, but the moon was somewhat visible. Normally its cool light eased his fears the same way its princess did, but in his agony it seemed like no more than a lifeless rock.

 

88888888

 

Mamoru stumbled to the door in response to persistent knocking, cursing all the while as his head continued to throb. Chibiusa had left with Luna an hour before to go to school. It was extremely fortunate his school was out for a week so they could prepare for the upcoming exams. He contemplated killing whoever was disturbing him.

 

Yanking the door open he barked, “What?!”

 

Motoki recoiled. “If it’s a bad time, I can come back later.”

 

The dark haired teen massaged his temples. “Don’t worry about it. What’s up?”

 

“You look terrible.”

 

“Thanks. If that’s it, go away.”

 

Mamoru smelled coffee as Motoki hefted a pair of huge Styrofoam cups. “That’s no way to treat someone bringing you your favorite thing.”

 

He considered snatching one and slamming the door, but his manners reared their head. He sighed and let his friend in. Motoki breezed by, giving him the drink. 

 

“What brings you here anyway?” Mamoru asked as he took the first scalding sip. The caffeine sang in his veins, revitalizing him somewhat.

 

“I ran into that friend of yours. He said you were in bad shape.”

 

Mamoru muttered threats at the absentee Kunzite for sending the cheery blond his way without any sort of advance warning. Motoki was a great friend, but his upbeat temperament was driving him insane. “I am. Now go away.”

 

“You’re saying that a lot, but no. I want to know what happened since the other guy was short on details. What’s got you looking like living death?”

 

Obscenities were spit in Motoki’s general direction before Mamoru swallowed another burning mouthful of coffee.  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Do it anyway,” the blond suggested. “Oh, and how’s Usagi-chan? I haven’t seen her since she left for the fight last night.”

 

“What were you doing, letting her go?!” Mamoru snapped. “She was supposed to stay home where she was  _ safe _ .”

 

“Have you ever tried arguing with her?! Don’t answer that; we both know you have. She was determined, and there’s no way I could’ve stopped her. I don’t have any powers, remember? Was she all right?”

 

With a deep breath, Mamoru related what he knew. He wasn’t surprised when Motoki cursed after he said she’d been kidnapped. He sipped his drink, ignoring the blond while hoping his headache would stop. Finally his patience ran out. “We have a meeting soon and there will probably be lots of yelling, mostly at me. Can I get a little peace and quiet first?”

 

Motoki subsided as he got a good look at his friend. “Are you all right?”

 

“My head is killing me and your chattiness isn’t helping.”

 

He winced. “I’m sorry. Do you guys have any idea where she is?”

 

“The girls had to get some rest first, but everyone has been out searching since dawn. Not so much as a trace.” 

 

They went back and forth a while before Mamoru managed to convince Motoki to leave.  Once he did, Mamoru sighed in relief. It became aggravation as a portal formed in his living room. He pulled his communicator out and activated it, keeping an eye on the swirling vortex. 

 

“My apartment,” he ordered when the others answered. “Something’s coming.” Kunzite materialized at his side a moment after he finished speaking, swords bared. Once the portal reached completion, the prince moaned.

 

Sailor Pluto stepped into view. “Come with me. Now,” she instructed. 

 

“What happened?” 

 

“Small Lady is gone. She was abducted moments ago.”

 

The six Senshi burst in together. The Outers were surprised to see the Time Guardian for the first time since their reincarnation. “Why are you here?” Uranus asked.

 

Luna ran in crying for help, Artemis just behind her, only to skid to a stop when she saw the newcomer. “Sailor Pluto!”

 

“I told them, Luna. Now, quickly!”

 

Uranus and Neptune exchanged looks. “We can’t come,” Neptune said. “We did what we had to do; we saved her life. This is up to them now.”

 

“She’s your princess too!” Venus shouted.

 

“This isn’t our time, Venus,” Uranus told her. “We’re meant to face invaders from outside our solar system, but duty summoned us last night. We did what we were called for. Now you have to be the ones to save her.” They left without another word and the Guardian Senshi stared after them, disbelieving. 

 

“We must go,” Pluto urged again. 

 

88888888

 

Usagi woke up swearing, using anything that came to mind. It included a streak of vulgar phrases from old planetary languages that would’ve given Luna a heart attack, to say nothing of what it might have done to the queen or her old etiquette mistress. The pounding in her temples did nothing to ease her ire. Eventually she convinced herself to open her eyes. 

 

Initially, all she could see was a dark colored crystal that made up the wall across from her. She wanted to look away; it felt alien and  _ wrong _ , almost poisonous. At least she didn’t seem to be too close to it. It took a few tries for Usagi to push herself into a sitting position. After the head rush passed, she took inventory. 

 

The Crystal Star was gone. That was the first thing she noticed, and a huge ‘danger’ sign. Without it she couldn’t be Sailor Moon. Worse, the Silver Crystal was inside. She searched wildly for its signal, but panic abated when it pulsed against her heart. It had apparently decided the brooch wasn’t safe and returned to its most natural location. She took a moment to be grateful for the crystal’s semi-sentience. 

 

“Okay,” she said, hoping things wouldn’t seem so bleak if she listed everything out loud. “I have the Silver Crystal. Good. I don’t know where I am. Bad. My brooch is gone. Also bad.” No, it still seemed pretty bad when she said it.

 

Once she knew the crystal was safe, her biggest concern was that she couldn’t sense Mamoru at all. When she reached out, it was as if he was gone entirely. She couldn’t think about it. Her priority had to be figuring out where she was and how to get away.

 

The room was massive, with a high vaulted ceiling. There were no windows or doors that she could see. The huge bed with black satin sheets she’d awakened on was the only piece of furniture. She disliked it automatically – black was not her color. 

 

Lifting her hand to rub her face, she paused. Black sleeves. That was wrong. Thinking back, she tried to remember what she’d been wearing before she transformed. She was pretty sure it’d been pink pajamas with white bunnies on them. Instead she found herself in a long dress. The black lace sleeves belled out at her elbow and fell over her hands. Her hair was loose instead of in its customary odangos. 

 

“Stupid impractical outfit,” she muttered. Due to the hampering material, it took a while to collect all of her ridiculously long hair into her normal style, using the hairpins and elastics she kept in her subspace pocket. “I hate black.”

 

“How unfortunate.”

 

Usagi jumped. “Who’s there?” she demanded, hating the way her voice shook. A man, she decided. She couldn’t remember anything after fainting at home.

 

The speaker appeared two paces from the edge of the bed. “I am glad to see you have finally awakened. How do you feel?”

 

Usagi might’ve been more impressed with the concern in his voice if he hadn’t been responsible for the situation she was in. She sighed. “Terrible. And who are  _ you _ ?” Her first thought was handsome, though the way he watched her was decidedly creepy. Still, his white hair and blue-violet eyes were striking. It had been a common combination on the Moon.

 

“My name is Prince Demando. I am the ruler of the Black Moon Clan.”

 

“…Okay. Let me go.”

 

Demando patiently shook his head. “I cannot do that, Serenity. It took a great deal of work to bring you here.”

 

“Where is here, anyway?” Usagi asked tiredly. She’d be able to worry about escaping after she got some information. 

 

“This is my clan’s base near the city of Crystal Tokyo.”

 

Usagi gaped. “Crystal Tokyo, the future kingdom?!” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Okay, that complicates things.” He was looking at her strangely. “What?!”

 

“You are remaining very calm. I am impressed.”

 

The heroine considered the curses she’d spewed when she woke up. “Yeah. Calm.”

 

Logically – wouldn’t Ami be proud? – Usagi knew the others would come after her. Pluto would help. Once they did she’d be free, no matter what this Prince Demando wanted. Getting her brooch back could wait as long as she had the Silver Crystal. 

 

“How long have I been unconscious?” she asked. “When did I get here?”

 

“You arrived late last night, the child this morning. It is now early afternoon.”

 

Child. The word squeezed at her heart. It could only mean one thing – Chibiusa. They’d kidnapped her too. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. Shifting, she managed to sit on the edge of the bed, ready to run or fight. “What child?”

 

One brow arched. “Do not try to play me for a fool.  _ Your _ child, of course. The girl who lives in your home, fleeing this time for your aid, Sailor Moon.” A second person appeared in the room – a tall woman with light green hair and brown eyes, wearing a short emerald-colored dress, opera length gloves, and high boots. She had a wriggling Chibiusa in her arms, a hand clamped over her mouth. “My general, Green Esmeraude,” Prince Demando said by way of introduction. “She was kind enough to retrieve the Rabbit for me.”

 

Usagi’s fists clenched. “Let her go.”

 

“Why should I?” he asked mildly. “You claim you do not know the girl.”

 

Her temper flared. With herculean effort, she pushed it back and took a deep breath. “I lied. What do I have to do?”

 

“It is quite simple. Agree to remain here and she will not be harmed.”

 

She hissed. She’d expected as much, but it was still a problem. “And if I refuse?”

 

The white prince shrugged. “She will either be killed or turned. I do not care.”

 

She understood the futility of the situation. Agreeing might erase Chibiusa’s existence. Refusing would mean she’d live to carry her daughter knowing she was responsible for her death. In the end, there was only one thing she could do. 

 

“I’ll stay,” she said. “Please don’t hurt her; she’s suffered enough. Let her go home.”

 

“I will not be satisfied with your response until you have sent your guardians off with the same. Until then the child will remain here, unhurt. Do we have an agreement?”

 

Again Usagi’s fears swamped her, but she pushed them aside. “Yes.”

 

Demando nodded and the woman released Chibiusa. The little girl ran to Usagi, weeping. Tears formed in the young Senshi’s eyes as well. 

 

“It’s okay,” she murmured, shifting the little girl into her lap. “You’ll be okay.”

 

“I’m… scared!” Chibiusa said between sobs. “Don’t… leave me!”

 

The dagger in Usagi’s heart twisted painfully. “Chibiusa, I won’t always be able to stay you,” she explained wretchedly. “Even if I wish I could. Just remember we love you and I’m doing everything I can to keep you safe.”

 

The girl rested her face against the black lace and continued to cry. Usagi wept with her, silent drops trailing down her cheeks. Eventually Chibiusa fell asleep. Usagi brushed her tears away and laid her on the bed before facing their captors.

 

“What now?” she asked dully. 

 

Demando chose not to answer directly. “Esmeraude, take the Rabbit to another room. Ensure she is guarded at all times, but make it clear she is not to be harmed.” The green-haired woman nodded in agreement, but when her eyes met Usagi’s there was only resentment and hatred. Usagi let her take Chibiusa and watched them dematerialize. 

 

“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why can’t you leave us alone?”

 

The prince put his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t react. “Why…?” he murmured in her ear.  “No doubt it is because I have loved you since I first saw you. Whatever I must do to have you, I shall.”

 

Usagi shook her head. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t do this. What will happen when my Senshi come? Do you really think they’ll let me stay? They won’t; they’ll take us home no matter what promises I make.”

 

“Then it is just as well I have taken measures to prevent that from occurring. They are welcome to the child, but  _ you _ will remain here.”

 

A surge of energy slammed into her, knocking her into the pillows. She couldn’t describe the sensation except to say the pain from her breaking bond was the only thing that surpassed it. Even the sword that had killed her the first time was nothing in comparison. The dark power scorched her and she felt something lancing the back of her shoulder. As she forced her eyes to focus, she pushed the lace aside to look. There was a mark, like a brand, creating a spray of dark crystal. She prodded it with the tip of a finger and almost screamed. Even so a muffled gasp escaped her as tears formed again. 

 

Demando had watched the entire thing, expression revealing nothing. “As you can see, it would be nigh impossible for the Senshi to take you away.”

 

“What is it?” she demanded around gasps for air. “What did you do?!”

 

“Nothing of importance.” He took a step away and the pain surged. She had to force herself not to cry. “At least it will not be if you keep your word.”

 

Usagi’s tired mind struggled to put the pieces together, but her weakness to dark energy dulled her senses. It was difficult to concentrate. 

 

_ He moved and it hurt. There’s a mark. Like a soul bond, but not. _

 

A flash of ancient memory surfaced.

 

_ Serenity’s tutor was droning on and on as the princess amused herself drawing Prince Endymion. She didn’t like tutors – she only wanted Mercury, but the other girl had been called to deal with business at Mariner Castle.  _

 

_ “Your Highness, are you listening?” _

 

_ No. “Yes, Miss Moran.” _

 

_ “Repeat what I said about magical balance.” _

 

_ Serenity closed her eyes. “Magic, for light or dark, must exist in balance.  If a new power is born in one, its opposite will appear.” She had discussed such things with Mercury outside of lessons since the Senshi of Wisdom had been tasked with making her charge aware of potential dangers she faced.  _

 

_ “Name an example of the deadly opposites.” _

 

_ “For light there are soul bonds, offering protection to soulmates. In retaliation a spell to eradicate the bond was found, one that could tear the lovers apart and tie one to a different person. If done incorrectly it may kill one or more of those involved.” _

 

A spell to destroy soul bonds. The targeted person was subjected to a curse and would be in pain when away from the caster. It wore down the tie between soulmates at the same time. In a dark atmosphere, far from the moonlight that empowered her, she had no way of knowing how long it would take, and her bond to Mamoru was already damaged. 

 

“No,” she moaned. “You wouldn’t… Would you?”

 

“I take it you realize what I have done.”

 

She flew at him with all the strength she had left and pounded his chest until he caught both of her wrists. “Why?!” she cried. “I promised. For Chibiusa’s sake, I would’ve stayed. Why do you have to torture me?”

 

“I did not come this far to be thwarted by your Senshi. I remember the laws of the Silver Alliance; they cannot cause you harm. As such, they cannot take you from me.” Demando pushed her head back so he could see her eyes. “I would have had you then if not for the Dark Kingdom. I have waited a long time. I will not lose you now.”

 

“NO!” Usagi shouted, managing to yank her hands from his grasp. She started hitting him again, though there was no real force in the motion. “No…”

 

Demando sighed. “If you must persist in such uncivilized behavior, I will leave.” 

 

He vanished, and the wave of pain sent her to the ground. She dragged her burning body to the bed and collapsed against the pillows as she wept. 

 

88888888

 

They emerged in a world of mist, unable to see. Pluto raised her Garnet Rod and a light blossomed in the orb at its head. The companions gathered around it.

 

“Stay with me,” she instructed. “The fog will clear as we approach the Door.”

 

Walking at a brisk pace, she escorted them to a massive door marked with the phases of the moon set in nothing. Pluto stopped there and let the light go out. 

 

“Whatever help you can provide would be appreciated,” said Kunzite. “We can determine a course of action once we have arrived.”

 

“Stay together no matter what,” Pluto ordered. “Join hands before entering and do not let go. If you do, you may find yourselves lost or prey to a Time storm.” She drew a small Time Key from the chain at her waist and passed it to the general. “This would have been gifted to you when the prince and princess married and Earth joined the Silver Alliance. The Key will guide you through the Corridors of Time-Space; guard it well.”

 

The Shitennou accepted it gravely. “You honor me with your trust. I will do everything in my power to ensure we make it safely to the future.”

 

“Please do.” She faced Tuxedo Kamen. “When your crystal returns to you, you will be free to come to this realm as the princess does. For now, rely on those around you. Each brings useful skills to the group, and when you work together anything is possible.”

 

“You mean I should stop keeping things to myself and tell them what I think instead of hurting Usako for no reason.”

 

She just nodded, though a tiny smile flitted across her features. “Now go!” She raised her staff and power shot into the keyhole of the great doors. They creaked open as brilliant light spilled out. Everyone joined hands and entered together. 

 

88888888

 

Demando turned as an alarm sounded among his brother’s many machines, most of them utterly incomprehensible to him. “Is something wrong, Saphir?”

 

A second man, similar in appearance to Mamoru with the exception of his blue hair and black crescent, pressed a few keys. An image of several blinking dots appeared on one of the screens. He frowned. “A time passage has been activated – the queen’s corridor, or one near it.”

 

“Do we know who it is?” Saphir typed several more commands and a hologram of the path formed in the center of the room. Demando leaned over to examine it, watching the four young women, two men and cats irately. “They are following so soon.”

 

“It is to be expected,” Saphir said mildly. “Both Sailor Moon and the Rabbit are gone. No doubt they were able to guess who had taken them.”

 

“How could they have known?” Demando asked.

 

The younger prince shrugged. “Since they knew the Rabbit was from the future, they would have called on the Time Guardian and requested her aid.”

 

“I ordered attacks on the Door so she would not be able to help them. How could she have gotten away?” The white prince fumed. “Esmeraude!” 

 

The general appeared. “Yes, Demando-sama?”

 

“The Senshi are coming. Take a droid and stop them. Endymion especially.” He eyed the man hatefully. “He must not be allowed to steal Serenity away.”

 

Esmeraude hesitated before bowing. “Yes, Demando-sama.” She vanished again, moving to the Time corridor used by their clan. 

 

88888888

 

Venus growled as they struggled through a heavy band of time. “This place  _ hurts _ ! Is it trying to crush us?!”

 

“Keep going!” Jupiter yelled back. “If we don’t, we’ll never reach Usagi-chan!”

 

“This phase should be ending in fourteen more seconds!” Mercury reported. At the end of the line, she was able to manipulate her computer by tapping the visor. 

 

“Remember,” Kunzite warned, not raising his voice but still easily heard by the others. “Even in calm sections we cannot separate. Maintain your grips at all times.”

 

The pressure eased to a more manageable level and the heroes gasped for breath. “How much further do we have to go?” Tuxedo Kamen asked. At the opposite end from Mercury, he was also carrying the two Mauans. 

 

“It shouldn’t be long,” Mercury told him. “If I understand the data, the pressure bands increase in duration the closer we are. I’d estimate three are left.”

 

“Then it’s a pity you won’t be here long enough to encounter even one!” 

 

The group looked up and saw a woman overhead. She hurled an attack at them, and the force of it knocked them from the path into the air. Another band began to bear down as she did. Disoriented by the blow, the force tore Tuxedo Kamen’s hand from Kunzite’s. He spiraled off in one direction as the rest of the group was blown in the other, kept together only by the Love-Me Chain Venus hurriedly summoned.

 

The woman pouted. “I wanted to finish them.” She frowned and waved her feather fan languidly. “Ryuakusu!”

 

A droid in the form of a genie appeared and bowed. “My lady?”

 

“Find the Sailor Senshi and their companions and kill them. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes, my lady.”

 

88888888

 

Tuxedo Kamen picked himself up off the ground. Luna and Artemis had managed to stay in place on his shoulders through the liberal application of their sharp claws, and he took a second to mend the lacerations. “Where are we?” he asked them.

 

Luna shook her head. “I don’t know. The Key was our guide, but Kunzite has it. He can’t teleport to us, either – it’s dangerous in this dimension.”

 

Artemis frowned. “How do we rescue Usagi and Chibiusa now?”

 

Tuxedo Kamen began to reply, but Kunzite’s mind touched his.  _ Tuxedo Kamen-sama? Are you all right? _

 

_ We’re fine, _ he answered.  _ Did you guys stay together? _

 

_ We are all here and unharmed, yes. I do not know how to find you. _

 

Tuxedo Kamen understood the unease in his statement. Kunzite was torn between his desire to remain with Venus and his need to locate the prince he was sworn to.  _ We’ll figure something out. You guys go find Usako. _

 

_ As your guard, I cannot abandon you. _

 

_ You have to stay with them. You’re the only one who can get them to Crystal Tokyo. _

 

_ I cannot countenance leaving any member of the team, _ Kunzite argued. 

 

Tuxedo Kamen frowned.  _ I have a suggestion. You and the others wait; I’ll try to find you. Have you reached the exit? _

 

_ The disturbance deposited us directly before it. We could leave at once. _

 

_ Stay there. If you can find a way to signal the right direction, I’d appreciate it. _

 

Kunzite paused, but the masked hero knew he’d agree.  _ I will see what we can do. _

 

Tuxedo Kamen glanced at the feline advisors. “Any idea which way to go?”

 

Luna and Artemis shook their heads, so he shrugged and chose a direction at random. Before he could take more than three steps, a voice stopped him.  _ Not that way. _

 

He froze. “Who’s there?”

 

Luna stared at him. “Who’s where?”

 

“You didn’t hear that?” he demanded.

 

Artemis frowned. “I didn’t hear anything.”

 

He pitched his top hat to the side and ran gloved hands through his hair in frustration. With a sigh, he retrieved the hat and started forward again.

 

_ NOT that way. _

 

Tuxedo Kamen stopped again. “Who said that?”

 

_ I cannot tell you, but I can lead you through. Turn left, prince. _

 

‘Prince’ set Tuxedo Kamen on edge. “Who are you and how did you know that?”

 

_ Again, I cannot say, but for Serenity’s sake heed me.  _

 

That only made him more nervous. “Luna, are there spirits in the Time passages?”

 

The little Mauan shook her head vigorously. “Only Pluto is allowed in this realm. No one else should be able to come here.”

 

“Can droids read minds?”

 

“Maybe,” Artemis admitted. “They’d probably only have access to surface thoughts, though. It takes real skill to delve deeper.”

 

He groaned. “Someone or some _ thing _ is telling me we’re going the wrong way. Should I believe it? They called me prince and mentioned Serenity.”

 

Luna looked worried. “Some of our enemies have known about our past lives before. It could be a trap.”

 

_ I am not a trap, _ the voice seethed in frustration.  _ I cannot force you to believe me, but you cannot wander without direction here. You are too far from your companions to see their attempts to light the way. _

 

“Give me some proof you’re not an enemy,” Tuxedo Kamen demanded. 

 

_ And how can I do that? Would personal knowledge of you and the others suffice? _

 

“Maybe.”

 

_ Very well. You, Tuxedo Kamen, are Chiba Mamoru. You are eighteen years old and in your third year of high school. You were in a car accident on your sixth birthday and lost your parents and memory. You are going to Crystal Tokyo to find Sailor Moon. You call her Usako. She is often clumsy, but bright with cheer. You love her more than  _ anything _ , even life itself. _

 

“You know an awful lot about us. Why shouldn’t I think you’re an enemy who went looking for our weaknesses?”

 

_ I cannot prove myself!  _ The voice snapped.  _ You would not believe me even if I tried. All I can say is that I wish to see her safe and happy. Trust me, Chiba Mamoru. I swear in the memory of Elysion and the Golden Kingdom I do not mean you harm. _

 

“You said left, didn’t you?” Tuxedo Kamen pivoted and ran that direction.

 

_ Yes. Go quickly. There is an enemy on the loose. _

 

“I hope you’re not leading me right to it.”

 

_ I am, _ the voice disagreed,  _ but not as a trap. It is going to attack your companions.  _

 

The hero swore.  _ Kunzite, can you hear me? Something’s headed your way. _

 

A sudden sense of shock made an answer pointless. Tuxedo Kamen broke into a sprint as his Shitennou cut the connection. Luna and Artemis held on the best they could. 

 

_ Faster! _ The impatient voice commanded.  _ This foe is strong. Without Sailor Moon you must be together to prevail. _

 

“I’m going!” Tuxedo Kamen snapped. 

 

The voice stopped chastising him. As the hero got closer, he could see the Senshi’s attacks. One of Jupiter’s rebounded and passed a few centimeters from his face. 

 

“Stay down!” Mars shouted. Her hands filled with flames. He dropped as Luna and Artemis hurried to cover. “BURNING MANDALA!” The fire leapt out, but a ripple near the droid sent it back. She flattened herself to the ground, barely escaping the burning wheels. 

 

“The droid can temporarily reverse time,” Mercury reported not far away. The other Senshi had the enemy surrounded, trying to confuse it with multiple attacks. Kunzite was with them. An energy boomerang was in the hand not occupied by his usual second sword. “It’ll go back to normal for a moment after the power is used.”

 

Ryuakusu paid no heed to the Senshi of Knowledge, enjoying her game with the other warriors. Tuxedo Kamen and Mars heard, though. “We can make her use her power,” Mars murmured, “but how do we attack again soon enough to destroy her? We managed a few hits, but she just shook them off.”

 

Mercury pressed a few keys on the computer in her hand. “I’d say a Sailor Planet Attack, but we’re not all here.”

 

“Would four work?” Mars pressed as she shot a fireball at the droid’s unprotected back, dancing away as it moved to retaliate. 

 

“If it will,” Tuxedo Kamen added, “we can give you a chance to use it.”

 

Venus moved close enough to hear them. “There’s a way to get her?”

 

“Yes,” Mercury replied. “A Sailor Planet Attack, even incomplete, should be enough, but we’d have to use as much energy as we can.”

 

“How do we keep her from deflecting it?”

 

“She’s vulnerable for a moment after she reverses time,” Mars explained. “There’s two problems. One, keeping her back long enough to pool our energy. Two, getting her to use her power so we can use ours.”

 

“Tuxedo Kamen-sama used an energy blast before,” said Venus. “Kunzite told me about it. Can you give us time?”

 

“Between Kunzite and I, we should be able to manage. How long do you need?”

 

“As long as you can give us,” Venus said as she waved Jupiter over. 

 

“Go,” Mars snapped as she joined hands with her sisters. 

 

Tuxedo Kamen told the general the plan mentally as he confronted the monster. His guardian agreed and they worked to keep it from noticing the Senshi’s vulnerability. The girls summoned their planetary power, combining it into a mass of destructive energy.

 

Tuxedo Kamen gritted his teeth, ready to fire the distracting shot and hoping he’d be able to dodge the recoil. “TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!”

 

As he’d feared, the blast leapt back too fast to evade, but as he resigned himself to injury Kunzite’s energy boomerang flew into its path and tossed it into the mists beyond the battlefield. “Now!” the Shitennou shouted.

 

All four Senshi spoke together. “SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!”

 

The droid had a fraction of a second to see death’s approach before the bright sphere of power crashed into its vulnerable form, turning it to glittering dust. The Senshi joined the men as the cats came out. Luna pawed at the remains.

 

“Good job,” she praised. “You did very well without Sailor Moon.”

 

“It would’ve been easier with her,” Mars said. “I don’t know how much we’ll be able to do once we’ve arrived in the future.”

 

“We should proceed,” Kunzite suggested. “Enough time has elapsed that we need to make haste. It cannot be wise to leave Usagi-sama in the enemy’s hands for much longer.”

 

Jupiter shook off her worry first. “She’s good at surviving. She’ll be fine.”

 

“I hope you’re right,” Tuxedo Kamen said as he followed them to the door. When they emerged, the heroes stood on a ridge above their destination. 

 

“Oh my sweet goddess,” Venus breathed in shock. 

“The city is frozen,” Mercury whispered. “What happened to the people?”

 

Jupiter frowned. “Dark Moon destroyed this place. Whatever civilization may have flourished here is gone.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen finally found his voice. “Chibiusa told us this was a paradise and her parents were hurt in the attack. If this is  _ Crystal _ Tokyo, it might have been made with the Silver Crystal. If something happened to its wielder…”

 

“The city would’ve been unprotected,” Mars finished. “The Black Moon Clan could do what they wanted. Where are we? We never should’ve allowed this.”

 

The voice from the Time corridor spoke in Tuxedo Kamen’s mind again.  _ Come to the palace. It is safe and there are things you need to know. _

 

The hero looked out across the city. “I’ve been hearing a voice since we were separated. It led me to you, so we can probably trust it. It wants us to go to the palace.”

 

Mars pointed at the spire dominating the landscape. “I think that’s it.”

 

Venus frowned. “I don’t know if we should be trusting voices no one else can hear. Maybe if Mars could I’d believe it, but you have no way of knowing if it’s safe.”

 

“When it happened the first time this person knew a lot about us,” Luna said.

 

“Let’s go,” Jupiter decided. “Whatever their intentions, they led Tuxedo Kamen-sama to us. We’d check the castle anyway. At least now we’ll be ready for anything we might run into.”

 

“But Usako…” Tuxedo Kamen was suddenly feeling her presence in another direction, and it was distracting him.

 

“Charging in without preparation will be no help,” Kunzite said. “We should learn what happened here. Perhaps there are survivors.”

 

With great reluctance, Tuxedo Kamen nodded. “We need to go to the palace.”

 

8888888

 

“How did they make it?!” Demando snapped. “They should not have been able to escape. What happened?!”

 

Saphir pressed several keys. “The details are not clear. Sailor Pluto realized we were watching and did her best to conceal them from my instruments.”

 

“Is that why Esmeraude did not manage to stop even one of them?” the prince asked, acid in his raised voice.

 

The younger man shook his head. “I do not think that is the case. Esmeraude was not watching from a distance, so she should have had no difficulty locating them.”

 

His fingers danced over the controls as a hologram formed in the center of the room. It was grainy but not so much as to prevent identification. Demando examined the figures. “The Senshi, Endymion, and the queen’s advisors. Who is the second man?”

 

“I do not know,” Saphir answered. “I would suppose he is one of the king’s Shitennou, but popular knowledge indicates they did not appear until later. Certainly it was still months at least from their current time.”

 

“Can we see him more clearly?”

 

“No,” the blue-haired man said. “Like the Senshi, he has a glamour that prevents us from truly seeing him while we have no knowledge of him. It is not as strong as theirs, but it cannot be penetrated from a distance.”

 

“We knew Endymion and the Senshi would come. We do not even know who he is or what sort of power he may have.”

 

_ No _ , Saphir thought as his brother left,  _ we do not. Do we even know the strength of the Senshi, women who have been in the public eye for so long? I am convinced we have no idea regarding the depths of the queen’s abilities.  _

 

88888888

 

Usagi knew Mamoru was there. Even with the damage to the bond, the weakness caused by dark energy, it was one thing that never changed. No matter what, she’d always be able to tell when he was close. She reached out, but she was exhausted and only got an intensifying of her headache for her troubles. She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes and laid back to do a meditation exercise Mars had taught Princess Serenity to distract her from physical distress.

 

At first it seemed futile, but abruptly the pain fell away. She frowned and nibbled on her lower lip. When she recognized the increased dark power, she understood. The pain had faded so much because the distance between her and her captor had. She sighed and kept her eyes closed. 

 

“It is rude to ignore another’s presence, princess.”

 

“Maybe,” she replied with considerable irritation, “but so is using a little girl to keep someone prisoner. Wanna guess which is worse?”

 

Demando did not argue. Instead, he seated himself on the edge of the mattress. Usagi fled to the other side. “It seems the Senshi and Endymion have reached this time.”

 

“Are they coming?” she asked, hope tugging at her heart. She knew she couldn’t leave, but just seeing them would help.

 

“Not as of yet, no. They proceeded further into the city.”

 

They had to be looking for help. Usagi knew the queen was badly hurt and somehow lacked the Silver Crystal, but King Endymion might have recovered enough to provide some assistance. “What’ll happen when they get here?” she asked after a long pause.

 

Demando studied her. “You already know the answer. You will tell them you are staying and they will leave with the child.”

 

The blonde frowned. “It won’t be that simple. They’ll argue, you know.”

 

“I would be very surprised if they did not. Tell them what you wish.” He vanished and Usagi choked back yet another cry of pain.

 

After taking a second to force herself to relax, Usagi started to pray. 

 

88888888

 

The group descended the slope and made their way into the city, following a path at the foot of the hill. There was no movement in the ruins, and its stillness was almost suffocating. The palace was in sight when Mars froze.

 

“What’s wrong?” Jupiter asked in a low voice.

 

The fiery Senshi frowned. “I can’t feel anything now. It’s like nothing’s there.”

 

“Really?” Mercury asked, consulting her computer. “I’m getting a blank too.”

 

Jupiter shrugged. “Standing here won’t help.” The stormy Senshi kept going.

 

Mercury jolted. “The computer is no longer detecting Jupiter!”

 

Mars grimaced. “A shield of some sort. Jupiter? Do you feel anything?”

 

“Yeah,” she responded. “On this side the spell’s not hidden. Our future selves cast it; no one with bad intentions can get through.”

 

“Good to know,” Tuxedo Kamen decided as he crossed. The others came after them and continued toward the palace.

 

“Quickly,” a new voice said. Tuxedo Kamen recognized it as the same one he’d been hearing. The others, however, were shocked. 

 

“Who’s there?” Venus called in challenge. 

 

“No enemy of yours, Sailor Venus. You must know this place is barred to ill-wishers.”

 

It was hollow, the masked hero realized. When he’d heard the voice before, it hadn’t sounded so… empty. A figure appeared in the mists. They stiffened when they recognized him. 

 

“It’s Endymion,” Jupiter whispered as Kunzite bowed. “The Endymion of the future.”

 

Mercury frowned. “A hologram…”

 

“Very good, Mercury,” the image said. The Endymion they were seeing wore a lavender suit with the white domino mask Tuxedo Kamen used in their time. “My body is too badly hurt to move. Using the technology of this time, I created a computer program to act in my stead. Hurry. As the Senshi’s strength wanes, the barrier contracts. Our discussion is best held in the safety of the palace.” The figure led them to the doors of the castle. “They need planetary magic to open,” Endymion explained. “Any of you are capable.”

 

Jupiter nodded, laying a hand on the door. Electricity crackled against the crystal and the massive portal opened. Her sisters followed her into the palace. Endymion urged them to rest but they disagreed, too focused on finding their princesses. He understood and led them to a vast computer chamber beneath the great hall. Luna and Artemis curled up in a corner and fell asleep. 

 

Mercury touched one of the many panels with reverence. “These are amazing.”

 

“This place is a haven for your future counterpart,” Endymion said. “She designed every piece of equipment in this room with the help of another scientist.”

 

“Who could’ve dreamt of something so magnificent?” she wondered.

 

Kunzite cleared his throat. Tuxedo Kamen knew he was thinking about Zoisite. Pained nostalgia hit them both. “Perhaps we should focus on the task at hand,” the Shitennou suggested.

 

Venus frowned and nodded. “We have to find them before we worry about anything else. Who knows what could happen? Chibiusa-chan could have turned by now if they tried.”

 

“What about Usako?” Tuxedo Kamen asked in a strangled voice. 

 

“They can’t turn her,” Mars said. “It’s against her nature, and she reacts badly to dark magic. It would kill her before they had a chance.”

 

The rest of the group stared at her. “I don’t think anyone needed to hear that,” Mercury chided. “We have to believe she and Chibiusa-chan will be okay.”

 

“No,” the king disagreed. “It had to be said. The timeline isn’t set in stone, so what you see here may not happen. Mars is right to mention the possibility.”

 

Heavy silence fell, but Venus managed to focus. “Do we even know where they are?”

 

“Demando would have taken them to his fortress.”

 

“Who?” Mercury asked.

 

“He is the prince of the Black Moon Clan,” the hologram replied. “More, he was the son of a pair of exiled criminals during the Silver Millennium and led his people in seeking a second chance for those who had been born in banishment. He always had an interest in Serenity, even before he reincarnated in this era.”

 

Kunzite looked to Endymion. “You must be very worried.”

 

“I know you’ll do whatever it takes to save them, but as a father and husband, yes. Even knowing how much you’d do for them doesn’t help.” He faced the general. “My daughter’s only five. Serenity went through hell while she was pregnant and she’ll never have another baby. If anything happened to Small Lady, Serenity would never be the same. Neither would I.”

 

“Usagi-chan can’t have more children?” Jupiter asked.

 

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head. “It’s the price of being the Moon Queen. They can only have one daughter. If something happens to Chibiusa…”

 

Mercury nodded in sad understanding. “That would devastate her. Usagi-chan was meant to be a mother. She’d put Chibiusa before herself every time, wouldn’t she?”

 

Endymion’s laugh was tired. “More than you yet know. She would do anything to protect our little girl.”

 

“Those are problems for later,” said Venus. “Right now we have to get to her. Can you take us to her with a location, Kunzite?”

 

“I could get there, but I would not be able to transport the entire team. At least one person would have to be left behind, and even then it would be a challenge.”

 

“That won’t be necessary,” Endymion interrupted. “I can teleport. Though that power hasn’t awakened for you yet, Tuxedo Kamen, I can teach you to bolster Kunzite’s abilities. With your help, he’ll be able to lead everyone.”

 

“Then do it,” Tuxedo Kamen answered. “We need to get to Usako as quickly as possible, and it might come in handy later.”

 

“Very well. Stay with me. Kunzite, we will need your help. The rest of you are welcome to explore the palace. This shouldn’t take more than an hour.”

 

“Can you tell me where the kitchen is?” Jupiter asked.

 

He smiled fondly. “Some things never change.” He gave her directions. “Your future self was very particular about her kitchens.”

 

“Good,” she said in satisfaction as she headed for the door. “I’ll make something to eat. The trip took longer than I thought.”

 

“I’ll help you,” Mercury volunteered, hurrying after her. 

 

Mars and Venus watched them go before the blonde glanced at the king’s hologram. “So what happened to Neo Queen Serenity?”

 

Sadness clouded his features. “She was looking for Small Lady and crossed the barrier. An attack was headed directly for her. The Senshi sealed her in quartz before it hit, but she hasn’t awakened since and the Silver Crystal is missing.”

 

“It’s with her, right?” Mars asked. “It’s part of her. She’d die without it.”

 

“The crystal disappeared just before the assault.”

 

“Where is she?” Venus wondered finally. “Your body’s hidden, but no one would be able to hurt her through our seal.”

 

Endymion’s eyes closed for a moment. “Our suite. Go to the top of the stairs and to the right. It’s the door at the end of the hall.”

 

Mars nodded and took the steps in a flash. Venus shot the king a sympathetic look before joining her. Endymion blinked a few times to steady his nerves before turning his attention to his past self and his guardian.  

 

“Now, let’s begin.”

 

88888888

 

The Senshi drifted in as the men finished their work. Jupiter and Mercury were carrying trays of food. Mars and Venus returned from the royal chambers, but their grim expressions made it clear what they’d seen had been a shock. 

 

“Serenity’s just frozen,” Mars told them. “She could have been dead. That seal – she’s not moving or breathing. It’s hard to believe Dark Moon forced us to such an extreme.”

 

“Why don’t our future selves undo it?” Mercury questioned. 

 

“Because they are expending all their energy to keep the palace protected,” the king answered. “Every ounce of power they have is guarding what’s left of our city. They can never leave their posts, because without one the others will fall. Even for Serenity, they can’t stop.”

 

“How have they sustained the shield so long?” Venus asked.

 

“The kingdom’s few surviving magic users are channeling their energy to the Senshi, but they have to be the focal point. The Silver Crystal’s power made this place, and they’re linked to it. They can defend it when others can’t.”

 

“The city must have been glorious before the Black Moon Clan attacked,” Jupiter said. “Chibiusa-chan described it as paradise.”

 

“It was,” he agreed. “Serenity and I, with all of you, worked hard to rebuild everything after a terrible catastrophe sent the entire world into hibernation. The palace actually grew out of our clearing in Juuban Park.”

 

“You and the planet are in tune, Endymion-sama,” Kunzite observed. “How did you survive such an event?”

 

Endymion smiled enigmatically. “There are things I can’t say, Kunzite. Our past is your future, and you have to choose for yourselves.” His hologram faded. “When you’re ready, make your way to Dark Moon’s headquarters.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen pushed away the food he was picking at. “Let’s go.”

 

Kunzite set his plate aside. “To rush in unprepared is folly. We should rest. The enemy would not bring Usagi-sama and Chibiusa-sama through time only to kill them.”

 

“No,” Venus said, putting her meal down as well. “We need to do this. Even if the Black Moon Clan doesn’t hurt them, the dark energy will. We can’t leave them there for much longer.”

 

“They could try to turn Chibiusa-chan too,” Mars added. “We’ve waited enough.”

 

Mercury frowned. “I would say something about being cautious, but it’s already been a day. We should at least make sure they’re all right.”

 

“Then we go,” Jupiter said. “No more discussing. Once we see her, we can decide what to do from there. It’s as simple as that.”

 

With a sigh, Kunzite got to his feet. “I am clearly outvoted, so I will follow your lead. Stand and join hands. Tuxedo Kamen-sama, I need you beside me. Venus, to my right. The rest of you may arrange yourselves as you see fit.”

 

“What about Luna and Artemis?” Mercury asked when they were in position. 

 

“Let them rest,” Venus decided. “They’ll be safe here.”

 

“Does everyone have a firm grasp?” Kunzite checked. “Good.”

 

Kunzite’s aura flared as Tuxedo Kamen added his power, and it spread over the entire group. The computer center melted away and became a room of black crystal. In a bed at the center of the chamber they spotted their stolen friend.

 

“Usagi-chan!” Jupiter called.

 

The blonde sat up slowly, as though pained, and looked at them. “Everyone…”

 

Tuxedo Kamen released his companions and reached for his soulmate, but Mars threw out an arm. “Dark energy,” she hissed. “It’s all over her. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

 

“All over?” Venus repeated, worried. “It couldn’t be.”

 

“Has she been turned?” Jupiter demanded.

 

Usagi nodded, crying, but Mars blew out an angry breath. “No, of course not. That’s definitely our Usagi. Damn it, why are you lying?!”

 

“Just let it go,” she pleaded. “It’s better this way. Take Chibiusa-chan and leave.”

 

“What’s going on?” Tuxedo Kamen asked, scared almost out of his wits by the girls’ reactions. “What’s wrong with her?”

 

Venus marched up, grabbing her friend’s shoulder and pushing down the back of her gown. She jerked her hands away with a hiss. “This isn’t – It can’t be! Usagi-chan!”

 

“V-chan, don’t. Just don’t…”

 

Mars nodded in understanding when Venus glanced her way. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama, she’s in a lot of pain. See if you can help.”

 

“Pain?” he repeated as his blood ran cold. “Tell me what’s happening.”

 

“It’s a spell,” Mars said grimly. “You’re not going to like this.”

 

He held out a hand to Usagi, and she collapsed into his arms. “Why was she trying to make us think she was against us?”

 

“She wanted to make it easier for us to leave without her,” Venus answered. “Mercury, scan her. I want everything you can get.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen focused for a moment and brought out a healing glow as he stripped off his gloves, taking her hands in one of his while pressing the other to her hair. “What’s going on?” he asked coldly. “What do you mean, ‘leave without her’? We’re not leaving her.”

 

Kunzite, who had paused to regain his breath after a massive expenditure of his power, looked at his girlfriend before realization hit. “You cannot be serious.”

 

Venus nodded stiffly. “Would I joke about this? That… that…” She couldn’t find a good word to describe their enemy. “There’s a dark spell that corrupts soul bonds and ties the victim to the caster. When they’re apart she’s in pain. If we tried to take her, the shock could kill her.”

 

“What?” Jupiter whispered as color drained from her face. “No.”

 

“It’s true,” Mars said miserably. “I feel its malevolence and Venus said it was possible while we were talking. We can’t bring her with us.”

 

Mercury looked up from her computer. “I have the readings, Venus.”

 

“Good. Go through it with a fine-toothed comb. Anything could help.”

 

Usagi shuddered against Tuxedo Kamen. “Please, just take Chibiusa-chan and go.”

 

“We can’t leave without you,” he said fiercely. “I won’t lose you again.”

 

She looked into his eyes. “You have to! I promised… I promised I’d stay if they didn’t hurt her. He was going to let them turn her! I couldn’t see that happen!”

 

He swallowed and closed his eyes. “No, you couldn’t,” he said. “I understand. Did you know he was going to do this?”

 

Usagi shook her head. “No,” she murmured against his vest. “She was crying in my lap and they took her away and he – he did the spell. I wasn’t expecting it. I couldn’t stop it. The dark energy is so painful, and my brooch is gone.”

 

“The Silver Crystal?” Jupiter asked shakily. “That too?”

 

She shook her head. “It’s with me.”

 

He looked at the Senshi, at his guard. “We can’t leave her here,” he insisted, desperate. “There has to be something we can do.”

 

“There is not.” Demando materialized nearby as his ominous words filled the room. The Senshi tensed and more than one prepared an attack. Usagi just moved closer to Tuxedo Kamen. 

 

“Demando!” Venus hissed. “Let her go.”

 

“No, I think not,” he answered. “You see, we reached an agreement. She remains here and I let the child leave unharmed. Do you wish to abandon the little princess to an uncertain fate, Sailor Venus?”

 

Her stance wavered, but she shook it off and glared. “Then we’ll fight. We’ll beat you, and we’ll take them home.”

 

The prince of the Black Moon Clan took a pink enamel brooch out of his pocket and toyed with it. “Would you prove victorious, I wonder, without the power of Sailor Moon?” The Senshi stared. “I am not foolish enough to leave a weapon in her hands. Really, this would not have been necessary if you had continued as you were a while longer.”

 

Confusion filled the group until Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen froze. “The dreams,” she whispered. “Those terrible dreams… That was you?” His silence was answer enough.

 

“You bastard,” Jupiter growled as her Pressure formed between her palms. 

 

“No!” Usagi cried, flinging herself at her friend. “Jupiter, no. It won’t solve anything!” She wavered on her feet and the electricity dissipated as Jupiter hurried to support her. 

 

“Usagi-chan!” her friends cried. 

 

“Come here, Serenity,” Demando ordered sternly. “Now.” Usagi shivered but nodded and stumbled across the room to him. He wrapped his arms around her and focused on the others. 

 

Tuxedo Kamen reached for her but reluctantly let his hand drop. “You have to swear that she won’t be hurt by you or your people,” he said. “You have to promise on everything you hold dear that she’ll be kept safe.”

 

“What are you doing?!” Venus demanded, grabbing his arm.

 

“I’m keeping her alive,” he snapped. “I’m doing what I can to protect her. Do you think I like this?! What choice do I have?!”

 

The unfiltered pain in his eyes had her back off, and Mars nodded. “You’re right,” she said, her voice so quiet it might have been nonexistent. “There’s nothing else we can do now.”

 

Behind them, Jupiter punched a wall but agreed, as did Mercury. Kunzite did not voice an opinion, but the sadness in his eyes made it unnecessary. Tuxedo Kamen stared at Usagi, wishing he could carry her out of harm’s way as he had so many times in the past. 

 

“I am glad you are seeing reason. I swear Serenity will be protected and the child will be released into your custody uninjured.  As a gesture of further goodwill, the Senshi may remain if they promise to make no attempts to spirit Serenity away.”

 

Venus shook her head and scoffed. “Her name’s  _ Usagi _ , not Serenity, and we can’t agree to that. If there was a way we’d take her home, and you know it.”

 

Demando inclined his head. “I suspected as much. As you wish. I only thought she might appreciate the companionship.”

 

She looked at them sadly but reached out to Tuxedo Kamen’s mind.  _ I’m sorry. _

 

“Esmeraude!” the prince of the Black Moon Clan called. The green-haired general appeared, bowing. “Bring the child.”

 

“Yes, Demando-sama.” She vanished and returned with Chibiusa. Tuxedo Kamen snatched her away. 

 

“Papa!” she cried, clutching his lapels as she sobbed. “I’ve been so scared!”

 

He caressed her hair. “I know, sweetie. It’s okay. You’re going home.” He looked at Demando. “If our deal is broken, I  _ will _ find a way to rescue her. Count on it.”

 

“You can try, but I would not be so confident if I were in your position.”

 

The hero looked at his daughter before turning to the Senshi. “We should go.”

 

“What?” Chibiusa asked, confused. “Mama’s coming, right? Mama?”

 

Usagi swallowed. “Go with Tuxedo Kamen-sama, Chibiusa-chan.”

 

“You’re coming, right?” When Usagi shook her head, she cried harder and reached out. She didn’t like the stranger keeping them apart. “Mama!”

 

“Go home, Chibiusa-chan,” the Moon Senshi said, throat aching with pent-up sobs. “I love you, baby. I’m so sorry.”

 

The warriors silently reformed the ring as Chibiusa tried to get to her mother’s past self. Kunzite’s magic twined with Tuxedo Kamen’s, surrounding the group and carrying them away.


	3. Part 3

_ I love you, _ Usagi whispered as he disappeared. There was a chance Demando would know she was talking to Mamoru, but she couldn’t let him leave without saying it one last time.

 

He did. His gaze slipped to her and his grip on her waist tightened. “Why are you trying to contact him?” He was ready to teleport away again, and she knew the pain that would follow.

 

“I was saying goodbye,” she answered as she averted her eyes. “I had to.”

 

The prince relaxed and released her. “Understandable. However, it is best for you to forget about him and the others.”

 

_ Never! _ She cried in her heart, but she forced herself to nod. 

 

He conjured a necklace, a pendant of black crystal suspended on a braided black velvet choker. He placed it around her neck. It felt like a collar; Usagi had fight to keep from tearing it off and hurling it away from her. 

 

“This will ease any pain you suffer when I am unavailable,” Demando explained. “It is effective only within the bounds of this fortress, and the enchantment is restricted to areas you are permitted to enter. Tomorrow I will show you each one. I have some business to see to first, but it will not take long.” She knew it was just another chain to make sure she stayed where he wanted her, to mark her as his property or his pet. He urged her toward the bed. “You should sleep. It has no doubt been a trying day.”

 

“I had to sacrifice myself to save my daughter. No, it wasn’t difficult at all,” she retorted. He kept moving without a response, so she reluctantly cooperated.

 

Demando continued as if she hadn’t said a word. “When I cannot accompany you, I will assign you an escort to keep you safe. My clan bears some ill will toward you as it is your future self who banished our ancestors to Nemesis.”

 

“And to monitor me,” Usagi snapped, pulling away. “You already made sure I can’t run away. Why do I have to have a guard too?”

 

“Even under normal circumstances, royalty is constantly in the company of a protector of some sort. You should be aware of that.”

 

“The girls are my friends. And I don’t see you leashed to a guard.”

 

“Yet they were always nearby, were they not? It was their duty to protect you. It is not my intention to force you to suffer the company of one who wishes you harm, or to cause pain,” the prince of Nemesis stated. No comment was made regarding his lack of outside protection.

 

“And your spell was meant to…?” Usagi trailed off, waiting for an explanation.

 

He seemed genuinely distressed. “I would have preferred another way, but Wiseman told me nothing else would ensure your separation from Endymion.”

 

It  _ was _ the only way to force them apart, but his unhappiness caught her attention. And the ‘Wiseman’ she hadn’t heard of. “Who’s Wiseman?”

 

“He is my advisor and the one who taught my clan to harness the power of the Evil Black Crystal. He has been instrumental in our plans thus far.”

 

Now Usagi was not only curious, but suspicious as well. “Where did he come from? How long have you known him? Does he have a name?”

 

Demando started to answer but paused. “I do not know.” She nodded, unsurprised, and gestured for him to continue. Encouraged by her lack of open hostility, he did so. “He suggested you be placed in his care, but I thought he might prove too unsettling. I will ask my younger brother to do so instead.”

 

She sat on the edge of the bed but leapt back up when he circled it and seated himself on the other side. “What are you doing?!”

 

He arched one pale brow as he met her gaze. “Nothing untoward, I assure you.” He waved a hand and his white suit changed to silk pajamas. “I intend to sleep, as tonight is a rare occasion during which I am not to be bothered.”

 

“Sleep elsewhere,” she suggested nervously. “Another room. Far away.”

 

“Serenity, due to the nature of your magic the protective wards here may fail. For your own safety it is best if you are not left unaccompanied.”

 

“I’ll take my chances.”

 

“Perhaps you are willing to do so, but I am not. Would it settle your mind to know that I cannot touch you while your bond to Endymion remains? I may take your hand or hold you as I did before, but actions beyond that are barred to me,” he informed her. “Come to bed. I do not have the patience for an argument now.” 

 

“Fine,” Usagi muttered, laying down. She didn’t know why she believed him, but he seemed sincere. For caution’s sake, she turned one of the large pillows so it was between them. “Just don’t try anything.”

 

He shrugged. “If you insist.”  He snapped his fingers once, and she almost bolted when she felt her gown shift to a nightdress. A second time darkened the room. She felt him lay back against the pillows and moved as far away as she could before she calmed down enough to sleep.

 

88888888

 

Chibiusa tore herself from Tuxedo Kamen’s grasp as they arrived in the Crystal Palace, distracted as he was by Usagi’s last words. “No! How could you leave Mama?!”

 

“Small Lady,” Endymion said quietly. His eyes met his daughter’s through the mask. 

 

“Papa!” she cried, running for her beloved father. She cried out in shock when her hands encountered nothing but air. “…Papa?”

 

He winced. “I can explain,” the king began, but the little girl shrank away.

 

“Papa too?” she whispered before turning and bolting up the steps. 

 

He reached for her but stopped. “I can’t help her now,” Endymion said sadly.

 

Mamoru released his transformation. “I’ll go after her. I have to explain why we couldn’t bring Usako back.” The hologram nodded and Mamoru sprinted after Chibiusa. Kunzite quietly shadowed them. “Chibiusa-chan!” he called. “Chibiusa, wait!”

 

The pink-haired child kept running, but he kept her in sight as they wove through the many corridors of the palace. Finally she burst into a room – hers, he guessed – and collapsed crying on the bed. He sat next to her and patted her head until she quieted. 

 

“Why did we leave Mama?” Chibiusa demanded. “What’s wrong with Papa?”

 

“I don’t know what happened to your dad,” Mamoru answered, “but he’ll be okay. He’s using a hologram so he can help us while he recovers.”

 

“And Mama?” she asked. “How could we leave her? Why didn’t she come?!”

 

He set Chibiusa in his lap. “I didn’t want to leave her, Chibiusa-chan, I promise. I can’t stand knowing she’s trapped, but we had no choice. It’s my fault. If I’d stayed with her, if I’d known what was going on, if I’d paid attention, this wouldn’t have happened.”

 

“I’m scared,” she said. “Mama and Papa… Everyone is getting hurt. Am I next?”

 

“That’s what we’re trying so hard to avoid. I swear, Chibiusa-chan, I’ll find a way to bring Usako home. I won’t leave her there.” Mamoru gently pushed her chin up so he could see her eyes. “She’ll be back. I know she will.”

 

88888888

 

Usagi sighed and gazed out the window of her sitting room. The view had nothing to offer, but it was the closest she came to going outside. She felt caged. She was, really, but being forced to stay inside only heightened the sensation.

 

“If looking through the window distresses you, perhaps you should cease.”

 

She faced her companion. Demando was frequently kept busy with his many duties, so his brother had become her chaperone and guard. Saphir wasn’t poor company, but he was reserved. At least when he was there she wasn’t alone. 

 

“I can’t stop wishing for fresh air. I’ve never spent so long inside; even when it snows, I go out for a little while.”

 

He nodded, unsurprised. “You have always loved gardens, if I recall correctly. This is a military base, so I am afraid we have nothing of the sort.”

 

“I know.” Her gaze returned to the window. “I don’t think there are any growing things left in this world anyway.”

 

The days had passed without notice. She wasn’t happy about the circumstances she’d been trapped in, but she couldn’t claim to be suffering much. The brothers didn’t mind talking to her when they had time and were good company on occasion. It annoyed her to like her jailer, but Demando seemed to have something worth saving. Saphir did too.

 

Since her arrival, she’d done her best to avoid drawing attention to herself. Rather than wander the public areas of the base, she stayed in her rooms. As she did, she drew every drop of power the Silver Crystal could spare to slow Demando’s curse. It seemed to be working – an attempt to kiss her the night before had been instantly rebuffed. 

 

Saphir closed his book and studied her. “And now you are unhappy. Serenity, my brother does care for you.”

 

“I know,” Usagi murmured. “I don’t understand it though. I can’t remember him, so why is he obsessed with me? Even if his past self loved mine, it’s been a long time.”

 

She’d considered asking for a while, once she understood Demando had a decent side. Three days after her friends had come for Chibiusa, she’d been weeping on the edge of her bed. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he’d shifted her so she was leaning against him and let her cry. She’d fallen asleep with her head on his knees as he stroked her hair. 

 

Usagi had no idea if Saphir would respond. Quiet though she’d been, he was the clan tactician and brilliant despite his youth. He’d remember she was an enemy and that she might still find a way to escape. Still, since the question didn’t concern their plans, she hoped he might tell her what she wanted to know. 

 

Finally, Saphir nodded. “I suppose it is only fair to answer since you do not know my brother well. He went to the court sometimes, hoping to beg reprieve for our clan, but he could not gain an audience. Your beauty is what first drew his eye. He saw you from a distance and grew entranced. Each time he returned with tales of a perfect young woman who was both beautiful and kind, who might be able to free us.”

 

“So I was just a tool to get him what he wanted,” she said quietly. 

 

“That is what we initially believed, but I think it ran deeper. Perhaps he saw something in you that mattered in a way he never explained. I am sorry; I know no more.”

 

Usagi frowned. She’d hoped for something definite, something that would give her a chance to prove she wasn’t what he wanted, that she wasn’t the princess he’d dreamed of through lifetimes. Esmeraude cared for Demando, even loved him, but he seemed blind to it. 

 

Her thoughts turned to the mysterious Wiseman. She hadn’t seen him, but on one of her rare excursions beyond her rooms she’d heard he was angry when Demando refused to name him her companion. She wished she could talk to the Spectre sisters; they’d be able to tell her about the people she was forced to live with. A deeper instinct told her dangerous forces were at work.

 

88888888

 

Mamoru spent those five days in agony. He hid it for Chibiusa’s sake, but every moment Usagi was trapped was his own personal hell. He felt it each time their bond weakened. It was dangerously thin, as he’d discovered when he forced Kunzite to show him. 

 

That fifth day was the hardest. He’d been with Chibiusa, as was habit, telling her about some of Usagi’s funnier exploits until she fell asleep. He tucked her in, but for a moment – she flickered. She faded before snapping back. Anxious, he waited several minutes but didn’t see it again. He set Luna-P by her side and hurried to find the others.

 

The girls and Kunzite were poring over Mercury’s scans, looking for a way to save their princess. King Endymion had only shaken his head when they asked. They all looked up from various papers as Mamoru burst in. “What’s wrong?” Ami asked.

 

“Chibiusa,” he gasped. “I think she’s… I don’t know. She  _ flickered _ . I don’t even know what it means.”

 

Minako winced. “Already? The timeline must be approaching a point where she isn’t born. Nothing happened here, though.”

 

“So Chibiusa-chan might not exist, but Crystal Tokyo will?” Makoto suggested.

 

Rei nodded. “From what the king said, Chibiusa-chan wasn’t born until around the time Usagi created Crystal Tokyo. The city might be having the same problem soon.”

 

“Then we have to hurry,” Mamoru pressed, desperate. “We can’t lose them.”

 

“No,” Kunzite agreed. “Perhaps we should consider what little the Dark Moon prince said of the spell he used once more.”

 

“What Demando said?” Rei repeated. “A lot of things, letting us stay if we swore not to do anything, how we couldn’t save her… He promised she wouldn’t be hurt, but beyond that I can’t think of anything useful.”

 

Minako froze as she finally realized why that bothered her. “He promised she wouldn’t be hurt. Sweet Aphrodite, that’s it.”

 

“What’s it?” Makoto asked. 

 

Ami frowned and her eyes widened in understanding a moment later. “Of course! Why didn’t we see this sooner?!”

 

“See what?” Mamoru demanded. 

 

Rei nodded as she caught on. “That would do it, I guess. Ami-chan, can your computer run scenario probabilities?”

 

“Yes, if we can give it enough details.”

 

“Then take what you got from the scan and change that,” the blonde ordered.

 

She tapped the keys. “It could work.”

 

“Will someone explain?!” Mamoru fumed.

 

Kunzite looked at his girlfriend, who winked. He considered before nodding as well. “I see what they mean. Prince Demando gave his word Usagi-sama would not be hurt, whether by him or members of his clan, did he not? He swore to it.”

 

“Yeah, but what does it matter? It just means she won’t be in too much pain while she’s stuck there, except what she’s already getting from his curse.”

 

“Magic is ruled by specific standards. One of the first things taught to any magic user is the need to be cautious when making a promise because their power may ensure it is kept, and it can be dangerous. You made a bargain with Prince Demando. You agreed to let her remain as long as she was safe. What would happen if she were to be attacked?”

 

“The agreement would be null…?”

 

“Precisely. It places a loophole in the spell he cast on Usagi-sama, creating an opening through which we may be able to act. If no harm comes to her it will amount to nothing, but given the hostile nature of the Black Moon Clan it is a viable option.”

 

“So to save her, someone has to hurt her? That sounds like a terrible idea.”

 

“Good or bad, it’s all we have,” Ami commented as she continued to enter data. 

 

“She’s strong,” Rei commented. “Even if she’s attacked, she’ll survive. It’s her being trapped that’s the real issue right now.”

 

Ami hit the last key and glanced at the screen as it started processing the new variables. “The computer estimates an hour before the results are ready.”

 

“Then someone should explain what we have to do if there  _ is _ a loophole.”

 

Minako frowned and considered. “It’s hard to say. Even in the Silver Millennium, I don’t remember any instances of this curse being broken. It must be difficult.”

 

“If it wasn’t, I’d be very suspicious. Still, what do we do?” Mamoru pressed. 

 

Ami examined the screen. “Most details are technical, but I don’t understand several parts. Maybe one of you could?”

 

Minako took the computer. “Yeah, this is more up my alley. The simple version is that Mamoru-san has to enter Usagi-chan’s mind and magic to break the curse.”

 

Makoto blinked. “If that’s it, why do we need to wait? He can do that, right?”

 

“I don’t think so,” Rei disagreed, shaking her head. “He’s already said he feels their bond coming undone. It’d lack the depth to get so far. Maybe if he was trained in that sort of thing or was a really powerful psychic… But he isn’t, so we need the opening.”

 

“I still don’t understand,” Mamoru moaned, frustrated. “How do I do that?!”

 

“I can teach you,” Minako promised. “At least, if Rei-chan and Kunzite help.”

 

“Then do it,” he pleaded. “Every moment she’s there, the more our bond breaks.”

 

“We might reach a point where nothing we can do will work. If your bond is too far gone, that’ll be it,” Ami warned. 

 

He paled. “Then this just got even more urgent.”

 

88888888

 

Usagi frowned and pulled her wrap around her. Members of the clan eyed her darkly as she hurried through the passages to reach the library adjacent to Saphir’s lab. He wasn’t with her because of work; Demando had wanted to know the status of the available battle droids. 

 

She was relieved when she reached the small room unmolested, tossing the black shawl onto a chair before turning to the books. Her conversation with Saphir had unnerved her – she had no way to combat Demando’s interest if it was genuine, so she needed a way out. 

 

Rather than a magic book, though, she reached for one on Nemesis’ history. Wiseman troubled her, and she just  _ knew _ he was responsible for the clan’s growing agitation. Demando spoke well of him, but Saphir wouldn’t answer when she broached the subject. He avoided eye contact instead. Making sure she was alone, she opened the book and began to read.

 

_ Little is known of the early days of the Nemesis settlement. The few witnesses who speak on the subject say they were banished from Earth by a woman named Serenity (later known as the Moon Queen of Crystal Tokyo, Neo Queen Serenity). Theoretically a crime was committed. _

 

_ The first known figure was that of a magician. This man uncovered the Evil Black Crystal at the planet’s core and instructed the new denizens as to its use. No records mention him again. _

 

Usagi closed the book with a snap. A magic user wouldn’t just find a planetary crystal – and the Evil Black Crystal was almost certainly the master crystal of Nemesis if it could equal her Silver Crystal – and teach others to use it. The Black Crystal had to have chosen the magician as its keeper and obeyed because it was ordered to, extending its magic to the new inhabitants to create the superhuman Black Moon Clan. 

 

Wiseman had to be the one who controlled the Evil Black Crystal, and crystals never followed a second master. Their bearers reincarnated until the crystal was destroyed. A thing of darkness, Usagi doubted it gave the same ageless immortality as the Silver Crystal. Wiseman might be immortal, but he probably hadn’t aged well. 

 

Usagi put the book back on the shelf and decided to return to her own chambers. Her mind was awhirl with the things she’d learned and the theories she’d formed.

 

“Well, if it isn’t the little princess all alone,” a malicious voice sneered.

 

She froze and realized she’d been so lost in her thoughts that she’d forgotten her wrap. Without it covering her distinctive gold hair, anyone could recognize her, and she had enough enemies in the clan for that to be a serious danger. 

 

A second person spoke. “See it done, Esmeraude.” Usagi swallowed and turned to face the general and her companion. “We must move her before the prince notices.”

 

Esmeraude looked at Wiseman disdainfully. “I’m not sure this plan is wise. It may not succeed and will only anger Demando-sama if it’s discovered.”

 

“Do you want to be queen? If that is your wish, you must get rid of all obstacles.”

 

A dreamy look filled Esmeraude’s eyes. “Yes. She’s only in the way.”

 

Usagi frowned, realizing Wiseman was using the older woman’s love of the prince to manipulate her. She backed up until she hit the wall and glanced both ways. If she ran screaming, Demando or Saphir might hear her and help, but she lacked the strength to go far and the library was in a remote area of the base. She would have to hope Saphir was still in his lab.

 

The two moved to either side of her. Usagi caught a hint of the darkness pouring out of Wiseman and flinched away. Esmeraude didn’t feel quite as vile. That opinion changed when the general summoned a droid, which efficiently knocked her out with an armored fist to the jaw. 

 

88888888

 

Tuxedo Kamen froze without warning in the middle of their work. Mars had to tug on his arm several times before he even looked at her. 

 

“Something’s wrong,” he panicked. “I can’t feel her. I should be able to but I can’t. Someone hurt Usako. I have to find her.”

 

“Settle down!” Mars snapped.

 

“I can’t!” he argued. “She’s hurt, unconscious. They might be trying to kill her!”

 

“Enough.” Kunzite’s stern voice rang through the room. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama, control yourself. We suspected such a thing would occur.”

 

“Kunzite, that place is a viper’s nest! They hate her!”

 

“Yes,” he agreed calmly, “but we suspected that someone would raise a hand against Usagi-sama eventually. Prince Demando will find her and deal with the attacker. You have not yet mastered the skills you must possess to free her; until that is done you will not be able to help. When you are ready I will send you to her.” Kunzite looked at Venus and Mars. “How much more do we need to do?”

 

“He has the basics, so we don’t need to link anymore,” Venus replied. “Now it’s time to refine tactics. He’ll be ready in an hour or two.”

 

The masked hero looked dismayed. “An hour?! She’s hurt  _ now _ .”

 

“Won’t it be worse if we can’t get her out?” Mars countered. 

 

Tuxedo Kamen subsided. “I know,” he said. “You just don’t understand. When she’s in pain, I feel it. Isn’t it bad enough he’s keeping her prisoner? Does someone have to hurt her?”

 

Kunzite set a comforting hand on his prince’s shoulder. “She is strong. Whatever small physical harm they do will amount to little if she is free.”

 

He nodded slowly and turned his attention back to the Senshi. Mars nodded, satisfied with the determination she saw in his eyes. “Let’s try again.”

 

88888888

 

The court was dismissed and Demando leaned back in his throne, swirling the glass of wine in his hand without interest. He found the taste repulsive, but it gave an impression of both greater age and indolent power. 

 

The citizens of Nemesis, long-lived as they were, found it hard to take orders from their young prince. After all, eighteen was nothing by their standards. Saphir was even younger and received no recognition from elder members of the court whatsoever. To counter their disdain, Demando affected both maturity and wisdom merely by leaning to one side and holding a glass of red wine while court was in session. The crimson liquid showed well against his white suit. 

 

He understood all too well the instability of his position. Had it not been for the fact that he was born with incredible power, the prince knew he would’ve been shunted to one side and replaced after the death of his father. Onyx had been very different from his two children – dark, harsh, and cold. To survive, they’d been forced to mimic that behavior. 

 

“What is left?” he asked his younger brother. 

 

“Nothing too difficult,” Saphir answered as he examined several petitions. “There are a few requests from the council, and a petition from a community of farmers. Apparently they are having no success with the crops again this year.”

 

“Send a few droids to acquire various foodstuffs. What did the council want?”

 

His attention waned as his brother delved into the fine mechanics of politics. As always, his mind drifted to Serenity – sweet, beautiful Serenity. In some ways, she had shocked him. She wasn’t the docile creature she’d seemed in the past. When he didn’t offend her, she’d talk to him about whatever came to mind. She was comfortable in Saphir’s company and, it seemed, his too. Demando hoped she had accepted the situation and was beginning to build a new life for herself.

 

He frowned. Something wasn’t right. Something about Serenity… His wine slipped from suddenly senseless fingers and crashed to the floor. Saphir whipped around, his magic catching the liquid and returning it to the newly mended glass. 

 

“Nii-san!” Saphir exclaimed, hurrying over and grabbing his brother’s shoulder in an attempt to provide support. Demando buried his face in his hands. “What happened?!”

 

“Serenity,” he said. “Serenity… Saphir, scan the base. I need to know where she is.”

 

The younger prince nodded uncertainly and returned to his computer. A series of rapid keystrokes activated the hologram platform. “It would take much longer to check the entire fortress, so is there somewhere I should start?”

 

“Her chamber.”

 

The image shifted. In almost a week, Usagi had left no mark on the space they shared, and it remained barren save for the bed. There was no one there, but –

 

“Zoom in. There is something on top of her pillow.”

 

Saphir obeyed. 

 

88888888

 

Usagi forced herself to wake up as an anguished cry echoed through the base. She tried to move her hands, but they were restrained. The rope was well-tied, and a spell further enhanced her bonds. A second charm would prevent her from being heard. A net of power formed a tight sphere to hide her from both physical and mechanical means. The lack of any external magic directly on her revealed the source of her pain – the necklace Demando had given her was gone. 

 

Usagi chewed on her lower lip. She couldn’t move or shout, but there was another way. They hadn’t accounted for her magic. The negative energy in the base could keep her from doing anything extraordinary, but it wouldn’t stop her from using lesser abilities. The question was what those meager powers could do to help. 

 

It occurred to her abruptly what might work. Mamoru. If she tried reaching out to him, Demando would feel it. He’d proven he could when she’d spoken to her soulmate before he left with Chibiusa. The chance of achieving a real connection was slim, but she just needed them to notice her. She filled her thoughts with a simple request and began to broadcast it.  _ Help me, _ she whispered through the link.  _ Helpmehelpmehelpme… _

 

88888888

 

Indistinct buzzing filled Demando’s mind as he scowled. “Where is she, Saphir?!”

 

The younger prince shook his head. “There is no sign of her in the base at all. It looks as if she managed to break your spell and left.”

 

Demando paced. “Impossible. It is well set by now.”

 

“If you have an idea, I suggest you determine its veracity soon. I am extending the scan to see if there is any trace of her in the city.”

 

The angry young man waved it off. “She would be spotted, and there are sensors at the borders of the palace shields.”

 

Saphir hesitated. “Where is Wiseman?”

 

“Why?” Demando asked. “Do you think he might know how to find Serenity?”

 

“Nii-san,” Saphir said slowly, “he was not here for court today. Nor was Esmeraude.”

 

“And?”

 

“Nothing,” he replied finally. “Perhaps you should search in person? There may be some trace you can detect that my equipment cannot.” Demando vanished without another word.

 

“I cannot make any accusations without evidence,” Saphir said to his computer, fingers tapping in agitation. “There is something very foul here, however. Veneti. Aquatici.”

 

Two droids appeared. These were Saphir’s first creations, his most trusted servants, little more than wisps of air compared to his later models. Born of his most powerful alchemy and guided with kindness instead of cruelty, they were clever and utterly loyal. 

 

“Saphir-sama,” they said in chorus. 

 

“I need you to watch Wiseman at all times,” he ordered. “Do not let him know. I suspect he has ill intentions.”

 

“Wiseman has been closeted with Green Esmeraude,” Aquatici contributed. “She is taking orders from him.”

 

“The prince does not hold mastery here,” Veneti agreed. “We will watch.”

 

He smiled. “If he suspects you, flee. Do not risk your lives for more information.”

 

They nodded and vanished. Saphir’s attention returned to the search for their missing captive, though in the privacy of his mind he hoped the girl really had escaped. 

 

88888888

 

Usagi was ready to faint. Even the slight drain of her mantra had worn her powers down to a wispy thread, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it up much longer. The pain made it a certainty. Still, she kept going. 

 

_ Help me. Someone help me. Help me, please… _

 

She slipped into unconsciousness as the words faded from her mind. 

 

88888888

 

Demando went to Serenity’s chamber to retrieve the necklace first. For a moment, he held it as his magic roved over the item, seeking evidence she’d broken free. There was none, and he frowned. His attention moved to finding her. As he prowled the base, he worked himself into a rage. She’d been softening. Instead of treating him and his brother like enemies, she talked to them. Why had she run so suddenly?!

 

The prince’s control over his power, weakened by his anger, failed. Several crystal walls developed a fine spider’s web of cracks as he stormed by, and the few clansmen who crossed his path hurried away after the dark boil of it scorched them. 

 

Something was leading Demando on, but he didn’t notice even as he followed. Arriving in a deserted passage, he stopped. Waving his hand, the concealing spell shattered. Serenity crumpled on the ground, unconscious. Her hands were bound with rope and magic, and her voice was sealed. He cursed and destroyed those as well. Crouching, he shifted the prone girl into his arms as he tore the cords from her wrists. The movement didn’t provoke so much as a twitch. Forcing back the fear rapidly replacing anger, he focused on bits of power he hardly recalled. As though summoned from a great distance, healing magic appeared and surrounded the princess. 

 

Demando gritted his teeth. The dark power he was accustomed to wielding didn’t suit light magic, even the gift that had been his ancient heritage, and his body was paying the toll. Still, he was young and strong, and the pain he suffered was far less than what plagued the girl he held. For an excruciatingly long time, nothing happened, but finally her breathing steadied and she regained a little color. 

 

He threw his head back and roared. “SAPHIR!” The blue-haired young man appeared, and his shock when he saw the limp girl appeased Demando’s momentary worry that his brother might’ve had something to do with her disappearance. He silently apologized for the slight. “You know the healing arts better than I. Help her.” 

 

Saphir laid his hands on her cheeks. Closing his eyes, he concentrated and said nothing.

 

“Well?!”

 

“It seems she was trying to call for help. Between your spell, the draining effects of the Evil Black Crystal, and that, I am afraid she seriously overtaxed her strength.”

 

“Ensure its power is directed away from her chamber. She needs time to recover.”

 

“If you lessen the impact of the Evil Black Crystal, she might slip free,” Saphir warned.

 

Demando shook his head. “In her condition? Breaking the curse would take unbelievable energy, fleeing even more. We need not fear an escape attempt right now. Redirect the crystal.”

 

Saphir nodded and vanished as the prince did the same. Reappearing in Usagi’s chamber, he laid her on top of the covers and clasped the necklace around her throat once more. 

 

The younger man unsealed the entrance and stepped in. He held several bottles in his arms and arranged them on a small table he conjured by her bedside. “How is she?” 

 

“I am not sure. What are those?”

 

“Potions to bolster her strength. Serenity in this form is not entirely human, you realize. The Silver Crystal has been in her keeping long enough that she has regained at least some of her Lunarian attributes. As a result, there is no cure more suited to her unique biology than the Silver Crystal’s power. I can do nothing to lessen the effect of her drained powers, however. Barring someone being able to gift her a portion of their strength, that will only be accomplished if you rescind your curse and free her from this place.”

 

He snarled. “Give up everything I worked so hard for?”

 

“I am not asking you to let her go. I am saying if you wish her to live, that is the best way to ensure she does. Nii-san.” His eyes softened. “I know you love Serenity and I understand that you do not want to lose her. I am only telling you what is best for her health.”

 

The older prince closed his eyes. “Can you save her without going so far?”

 

“Perhaps. She is powerful and has a strong will to live.” He tipped the first potion into her mouth, choosing not to say that the one person most able to help her was the man Demando was doing his best to keep away from her. “I will do what I can.”

 

Usagi shuddered and her eyes cracked open. She tried to speak, but a coughing fit seized her. Several tense moments passed before it abated. Saphir offered her a glass of water that had appeared on the table. She nodded her thanks.

 

Demando knelt and took her hand. “What happened?” he asked anxiously.

 

The exhausted girl took a sip of water before replying, and even then it was hard for her to talk. “Esmeraude and Wiseman.”

 

The brothers exchanged dark looks. “Wiseman?” Saphir repeated. He understood Esmeraude’s involvement, but he couldn’t fathom why his brother’s trusted advisor would be trying to kill so valuable a hostage. “What did they do?”

 

“Esmeraude hit me. When I woke up… I couldn’t call for help.”

 

Demando nodded. “There were spells concealing you from me. What did they want?” She only shrugged, and he sighed. “Come, Saphir. We must deal with this immediately.”

 

They disappeared and Usagi tried to sleep, knowing it was all she could do.

 

88888888

 

Tense and impatient though he was, Tuxedo Kamen managed to master what he needed to know. He sat down with a breath of relief. “And that’s it?” he asked.

 

Venus nodded. “Unless the spell holding Usagi-chan changed, that’ll do it. If it has…”

 

“No second guessing,” Mars interjected. “If she’s trapped much longer, we’ll never get her back. This is our only chance.”

 

Mercury frowned. “There would be ways later…”

 

“If you don’t mind her dying. Personally, I’d like to see her live through this.”

 

Jupiter held up her hands. “Calm down, Mars. Tuxedo Kamen-sama can save her.”

 

Kunzite interrupted before the fiery Senshi could start yelling at her friend. “It is unwise to send the prince in blindly. If Prince Demando is with Usagi-sama when Tuxedo Kamen-sama arrives, it will only create more problems. We must act while she is alone.”

 

“How will we know?” Mercury asked. 

 

“With a few moments’ privacy, I shall be able to inform you.”

 

He slipped out of the room, Venus close behind. She touched his arm, and his pale eyes met her bright blue. “What are you doing? Astral projection is dangerous.”

 

“No more so than teleportation. I promise you, Venus, I will suffer no harm.”

 

“What if they detect you?” she pressed. “Your spirit could be trapped. How would you help Usagi-chan then? Or Mamoru-san?”

 

“It is unlikely that I will be detected. Projection was a rare gift even in the past, and I do not think it has become common in the intervening years.”

 

“Kunzite. Not alone.” Her voice brooked no argument.

 

Kunzite inclined his head. “You have not done such a thing in a long time, Venus. Are you sure it is a good idea?”

 

“I can’t do it without you, but you’re not the only one who can make the flight. If one of us is caught, there’s still the other.” She twined her fingers with his. “Together.”

 

They hurried to a small chamber near the computer center and sealed the door behind them. Venus spun a Love-Me Chain around them to guard them as their spirits roamed the wider world. Kneeling, they pressed their palms together and concentrated. Their efforts were rewarded when tiny versions of their physical forms appeared above now motionless bodies. Venus met Kunzite’s gaze playfully.

 

“Last one there pays for our next date,” she suggested with a smile.

 

“You could not afford such a thing.”

 

“Then I’ll just have to win, won’t I?”

 

Her spirit leapt, following the power linking her to her princess. The general followed, tearing through the sky, and they were soon centimeters apart. Venus, with a stronger bond to Usagi, managed to gain the lead at the last second. She winked at him before looking around. 

 

Usagi was lying on the same bed as before, moving as little as their empty shells. Had it not been for the unmistakable rise and fall of her chest, she might have been dead. Her skin, always pale, was bleached of color save for black smudges under her eyes and a bruise on her jaw. Her black gown accentuated it, creating the image of a broken doll. 

 

Kunzite turned to examine the rest of the chamber and found it empty. Satisfied that he had the information he’d sought, he twined his spirit around his girlfriend’s and drew her away. “We will be able to help her,” he promised. “She will survive this.”

 

She choked back a sob. “She’s too pale. Kunzite, what did they do to her?! He promised she’d be safe, he promised, and she looks so sick!”

 

“Venus,” he said gently. “Calm yourself. I know this is difficult, but we are ready to free her. Tuxedo Kamen-sama can undo their curse and bring her back.”

 

Venus took several slow breaths. “Okay. I’m calm. Let’s get back.”

 

“We should ensure their attention does not return to her for a while. If we act visibly within the city, they will watch.”

 

“Wouldn’t they notice if Tuxedo Kamen-sama isn’t with us?” she asked.

 

“King Endymion can create holograms, can he not?” Kunzite countered.

 

She nodded. “That’ll work. Hurry up.” Her spirit flared as she gathered her energy and flew to their bodies with no difficulty. Venus broke the protective barrier and raced from the chamber to rejoin the others. “Usagi-chan is alone,” she said breathlessly. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama can go right now. Can the king project holograms anywhere?”    
  


Endymion’s image appeared. “Yes, if the necessary equipment is still in place. The entire city was built with holographic capacity.”

 

“Can you project one of Tuxedo Kamen-sama?” Mars asked as she caught on. 

 

“Certainly, but outside the barrier a hologram will register as such.”

 

“Then we draw attention from inside the barrier,” Mercury said. “That’s the plan, right?”

 

Venus nodded. “Kunzite can send Tuxedo Kamen-sama to Usagi-chan, but we have no way of knowing how long Demando will be gone. If he sees us doing something, all of us, he’ll want to know what it is.”

 

The others began to give opinions, but Tuxedo Kamen cut them off. “Send me.”

 

“Tuxedo Kamen-sama, it would be reckless to act before plans are laid.”

 

“Improvise. The longer this takes, the more she suffers.”

 

Kunzite was prepared to argue, but he changed his mind. “Very well. We will see to the distraction. Save your princess.” He clasped his hand on his prince’s shoulder and he was gone. 

 

“Use your energy to support the barrier your future selves are maintaining,” Endymion suggested. “It can be done from within its bounds, and it would merit attention.”

 

“That works,” Jupiter decided. She took off before the others could say anything. 

 

Mars shook her head. “Let’s go then.”

 

“The hologram?” Venus asked, looking at Endymion.

 

“It will be with you,” he promised. 

 

The others hurried after Jupiter.

 

88888888

 

Tuxedo Kamen saw her first, of course. He could hardly have looked anywhere else, and when he saw her he didn’t try. Shocking as her state had been to Venus and Kunzite, it almost destroyed him with scalding guilt. He walked over and took her hand.

 

She opened her eyes but seemed confused when her gaze meshed with his. “I must be dreaming. Such a nice dream…”

 

“No.” His denial was automatic, hurt lancing through him. He didn’t want her to be so unhappy that she thought he was a dream. He didn’t want to  _ be _ a dream to her. “I’m here, Usako. My poor, brave Usa. What did they do to you?”

 

“Mamo-chan?” She struggled to sit up, but he had to support her or she would’ve fallen. “Really? Mamo-chan, it hurts.”

 

“I think you used too much power,” Tuxedo Kamen said. “It’s okay though. I’m here to help. We’ll have you better in no time.”

 

“Help?” she repeated. “How? The Silver Crystal will fix me if I can just… get away…”

 

“Then I should set you free, right?” He brushed her bangs back. “I’ll take you somewhere safe so the crystal can do its work.”

 

Her nose wrinkled. “Can’t leave. Right? I’m trapped.”

 

“I’m going to get you out of here.” He pulled her up, but her legs buckled when she tried to stand. Her hands fisted against his jacket to keep from falling.

 

“How are you going to help me?” she asked plaintively. He finally saw her focus. “The spell is meant to keep us apart. Demando could be back any moment.”

 

“The Senshi are creating a diversion so I’ll have time. I can break his curse.”

 

Usagi drew back and stood for herself, though it was only the force of her will that held her steady. “What do we do?”

 

88888888

 

Demando stared at Esmeraude, watching the kneeling general angrily. Her eyes were averted and she was trembling. The sight brought him a grim pleasure.

 

“You deliberately and  _ flagrantly _ disobeyed me,” he began, voice as cold and sharp as one of Mercury’s ice blades. “I said Serenity was to be treated with the utmost respect. Indeed, I made it clear she was not to be harmed in any way. You have not done as I ordered. Explain.”

 

“There is no excuse,” Esmeraude answered, gaze remaining on the floor. “I will accept whatever punishment you choose.”

 

“That is not sufficient. I need an explanation, and I want to know what role Wiseman played in this treacherous plot.”

 

The green-haired woman shook her head. “I cannot say, Demando-sama.”

 

The prince clenched his jaw as his grip tightened on the stem of his glass. “Get out of my sight. Return to your quarters and do not leave until I have reached a decision.”

 

She inclined her head and vanished, leaving Demando alone in the throne room. He threw the wineglass at the wall. It shattered, and the red liquid pooling on the floor looked like blood. 

 

Saphir appeared and sighed. “Esmeraude would not cooperate,” he guessed as he once more repaired the goblet. The wine vanished and with a second absent gesture the cup was returned to the base’s kitchens. 

 

“Wiseman is a trusted advisor to our clan. I cannot act without proof.”

 

“Serenity’s word is not enough? She is an honest soul; that is clear to any who speak with her. She would not accuse someone who was not involved.”

 

“Could she have been mistaken?” the older man asked. 

 

“I highly doubt it. There was no uncertainty in her voice when she told us.”

 

“I trust Wiseman,” Demando said finally. “He has not led us astray. Serenity is unwell, so she may have misunderstood.”

 

The younger prince disagreed but kept his opinion to himself. “I actually came to tell you there is activity around the Crystal Palace.”

 

“Oh? The Shitennou?”

 

“No, there has been no sign of them since the barrier formed. They are injured, dead, or remain with the Senshi. The warriors of the past are doing something within the bounds.”

 

Demando returned to his throne. “Show me.”

 

Saphir activated the holographic podium. “Prince Endymion is with them, as is the other man. Their purpose is still unclear to me.”

 

The image formed. Panning, it shifted around the perimeter of the palace, pausing at each Senshi. Beams of light sprang out of each girl and touched the shield their future selves had cast, ripples marking the point of contact. 

 

“Bolstering the shield?” Demando guessed. “Is it weaker than we thought?”

 

“I cannot get readings on it, but that may be true. It has been maintained endlessly since our arrival. The Senshi of this era are likely to be weary.”

 

“Monitor them. I must return to Serenity.”

 

Saphir shook his head. “The princess will be sleeping, and I am afraid your magic may do her further harm in her current state. It would be best to leave her alone for now.”

 

The prince sighed but stayed in his seat, bowing to his little brother’s greater knowledge of healing. “Very well.”

 

88888888

 

Usagi slipped, but Tuxedo Kamen caught her. He brushed loose strands of hair out of her face before handing her a bag. “Here. It’s a change of clothes.”

 

She took it with a frown. “Why?”

 

“It’s cold outside and we might end up having to run,” he explained. “It’ll also be easier to break the curse if there’s nothing of this place on you.”

 

“I don’t know if I can.”

 

The hero caressed her cheek. “You can, but if you need any help I’m right here.”

 

She nodded, holding onto the bed’s headboard. “Turn around. Please?” The gesture was pointless since he’d seen her transform countless times, but he cooperated. 

 

Usagi managed to remove her gown with some difficulty. Setting the heavy ensemble aside, she reached for the new outfit. There was a soft, lacy pink tank top and a cashmere sweater in the same shade, both of which could simply be pulled over her head. She just leaned against the headboard as she did. The slacks, of rich ivory wool, were mercifully bereft of complicated fastenings and the matching low boots could be stepped into. It meant more to her than she’d expected, wearing normal clothes again .

 

Usagi abruptly realized that the energy in the chamber had shifted. There was none of the dark power that made her so uncomfortable for days. Her magic was weak, but a similar power filled the space. A moment later she recognized it as her soulmate’s. She touched a strand and it twined around her. The part of her starved for its nourishment wanted to drag it in, but she held back. Usagi coaxed the light to her. Knowing she couldn’t take much, she stopped quickly to protect him from the sort of drain she had so much experience with. When she opened her eyes, she was in his arms.

 

His blue eyes were worried behind the mask. “Where did you go?”

 

“I felt your power,” she explained. “It was nice.”

 

He nodded, relieved. “It scared me when you went blank. You’re okay?”

 

“I think so,” Usagi answered. “What now?”

 

Tuxedo Kamen shifted them so he was on the floor with her in his lap. She curled into him. He embraced her without warning, a gesture she returned in full. Drawing back, the hero took something else from his subspace pocket and handed it to her. 

 

“The Star Locket,” she realized. “You had it?”

 

“Luna brought it to me after you were taken. She said you used it to bring me back once, so I could return the favor.”

 

She slipped the chain over her head. “It’s longer.”

 

“The king told me to borrow a necklace from the queen’s jewelry box. We can return it later.” He took hold of the chain and looped it over his head as well before touching the black pendant. “What’s this?”

 

Her fingers brushed across it. “It’s from Demando, to keep me from suffering whenever he had to be away from me. It’s probably what’s kept me alive this long.”

 

He unclasped the choker and threw it across the room. She tensed, but his touch quickly eased the worst of the pain. When he stiffened in turn, she realized he couldn’t heal it. He was taking part of it into himself. 

 

“No, Mamo-chan, don’t,” she argued. “I can handle it. Really.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head. “Breaking the curse will be hard as it is. At least let me make it easier for you whatever way I can.” He stripped gloves, hat and mask, setting them aside. “It’ll be really bad. I’m sorry.”

 

He kissed her as their magic entwined, drawing her light out. Touched by its other half, the Silver Crystal shone. That first step was simple, but the rest would hurt. His consciousness plunged into hers, gold tearing away every scrap of black on the bright silver and pink. The small part of him connected to the outside world felt her flinch every time, but he had to stay focused. 

 

At the root of her power, against the glowing red of their bond, was a black mass, almost a metaphysical tumor. That was the source of her distress. A dark ribbon was extending from it, but it was thin yet. The hero severed it angrily. When it tried to dig deeper into Usagi’s soul, he tore it apart. She was crying, and his hands automatically brushed away her tears. Still he bore down on the pulsing darkness with surgical precision. His power extended to brush against hers reassuringly, then to remove the infection. Carefully, avoiding any damage to either of them, he cut it away. The curse was strong, and her weakness made it more powerful still. It fought every step of the way, slicing into his psyche, trying to force his will aside. He ignored the pain and continued. When it was loose it burned, scorching them both. He wrapped his power around her, forcing it away from its intended victim. Deprived of sustenance it finally died, and he drew himself back to the physical world. 

 

Their eyes opened as they separated. She kissed him again. “Thank you,” she whispered. He could see the strain on her face, but her smile was radiant. 

 

“We need to go,” Tuxedo Kamen told her as he helped her to her feet, taking off the locket and giving it to her. “The others think Demando will realize what happened.”

 

Usagi nodded, shivering. He held her close to his side as he gathered their things. 

 

“NO!” Demando shouted as he appeared. He looked insane – his hair was a mess and his eyes were wild with a combination of anger and fear. He reached for Usagi, but she shrank back against her boyfriend. “SERENITY!”

 

Tuxedo Kamen was ready to fight, but someone else intervened. A wave of dark energy flew at the white prince, forcing him back and suppressing his power. In that instant, the other man loosed his own attack – not at his beleaguered foe, but at the external wall.

 

“TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!” The crystal shattered and he hauled Usagi into his arms. “Hold tight!” he instructed, leaping out. She clung to him, face against his chest, as he slid down the side of the building. He set her on her feet as they reached the ground. “You have to run. Can you do that?”

 

Usagi nodded. He seized her hand and they sprinted away as shouts echoed behind them. She was tired and her poor health was a powerful deterrent, but she made herself keep going. When her Senshi surrounded them, Usagi almost wept in relief. Kunzite went to Tuxedo Kamen, pouring power into him to make up for what he’d given. 

 

Mars took one look at her best friend and wanted to scream, but she forced the soldier in her to the surface. “Mercury, throw up a shield. I don’t want a droid snatching her now.”

 

The Senshi of Knowledge nodded. “SHABON SPRAY!” The bubble flew from her arms to cover them all. “It should hold long enough to give us a chance.”

 

Venus hovered at Usagi’s elbow. “Can’t Kunzite just teleport her to the palace?”

 

The general shook his head. “In her current state any further magic usage on her person could cause a great deal of pain. This will increase her weariness but not endanger her health.”

 

A lightning bolt arced from Jupiter’s fingers, piercing a droid through the chest. “We’ve got company coming!”

 

Mercury’s visor slid across her eyes. “None of them are high level,” she reported, “but I can see seven at least.”

 

Mars drew her ring of flame. “Then they die. BURNING MANDALA!”

 

“Take her and go,” Venus ordered Tuxedo Kamen. “We can handle the droids.”

 

“We shouldn’t,” Usagi argued. 

 

“VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!” Another droid was bound before the chain dug deep, destroying it. “What can you do in your condition? Take Kunzite; he’ll protect you.”

 

The bubble-shield shattered under the weight of the droids’ attack, and Kunzite pulled Venus back before a fireball hit the space she’d just occupied. “I do not want to leave you.”

 

She smiled and patted his cheek. “I’ll be fine, Kunzite. Get her to safety.”

 

The Shitennou closed his eyes and nodded, accepting his duty. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama, please carry Usagi-sama. We must reach the safety of the palace barrier.”

 

“Hurry up and go!” Jupiter ordered, hurling her Pressure at the head of an approaching droid. “More are coming!”

 

“They’ll give up when Usagi is out of reach,” Mars said. “Hurry!”

 

Tuxedo Kamen picked her up, shielding her with his cloak. The palace was still half a kilometer away and droids were getting past the Senshi. One was almost on top of them, and he couldn’t fight with his hands full. Kunzite was not so burdened. His boomerang flew, slicing through its torso. On its return, it cut the droid in half. It died with a shriek. He teleported ahead and took down a second, clearing the path. 

 

“Greater droids approaching!” Jupiter shouted over the noise, her voice ringing out like a thunderclap. “Get her inside!”

 

He ran faster, trusting Kunzite to keep them safe. The barrier was right in front of them when more trouble arrived – twins. They seemed more human than the others, a sure mark of power. Usagi wasn’t sure if they were droids at all since they wore the black crest and earrings. 

 

“Give us the girl,” Achiral, the darker one, demanded. It was undoubtedly a threat.

 

Tuxedo Kamen’s grip tightened. “No.”

 

Chiral hissed. “Don’t be a fool,” he sneered, his tone lighter than his brother’s. This one seemed to favor honeyed persuasion. “The prince wants her. He will have her. Why not make the decision that ends in everyone’s survival?”

 

The hero’s gaze slipped around the field desperately. Each Senshi was battling several droids at once and five more were harrying Kunzite, though the Shitennou was trying desperately to reach them.

 

Usagi’s mind brushed against his.  _ Let me go. It’s not worth everyone dying. _

 

_ I can’t do that, Usako. I promised Chibiusa I’d bring you back. _ He set her down and pushed her behind him. 

 

“You mean to fight us, little princeling?” Achiral laughed. “You, who have less power than your own guard?”

 

Chiral chuckled as well. “There is nothing you can do against us. Together we are the Artificial Jewel Brothers. We are unstoppable.”

 

“I’ve heard it before,” Tuxedo Kamen said. “‘Oh, we can’t lose.We’re so powerful.’ It’s never true. Bad guys always say it, and they  _ always _ fail.”

 

Kunzite decimated the droids in his way and appeared at Tuxedo Kamen’s side. With a flash the tuxedo and cane were replaced with armor and a sword. The battle was even. Some of the brothers’ confidence faded. 

 

“Quickly,” the general urged. “Even now our enemies gather their strength.”

 

It was Endymion’s spirit fighting, and the prince knew Kunzite’s style. They moved in perfect harmony, always shielding each other’s vulnerabilities, keeping a close guard on Usagi. 

 

Chiral and Achiral were good, too good to be droids. As brilliant a programmer and alchemist though Saphir was, he could not create battle droids that moved with such precision or intelligence. It had to be one or the other. It was their misfortune when the Senshi broke through and joined them. Jupiter arrived first, lightning pouring from outstretched hands to stun their enemy. Venus was on her heels, Love-Me Chain throwing aside their attacks. Mars’ fire cut off their retreat and Mercury’s ice flowed over the ground, barring any escape through that route. 

 

At a massive disadvantage, the Artificial Jewel brothers seemed to accept their inevitable failure. Rather than surrender, though, they became vicious, attacking without restraint. It was a madhouse. Inches from the battle, Usagi could barely discern one warrior from another through the lights and debris. When Chiral pulled free of the melee, she reached for a brooch that wasn’t there. Her fingers only met cloth, so she turned and ran for the barrier, a short sprint away.

 

It didn’t help. Chiral dove forward, knocking her to the ground. She skidded several paces, but the burning in her leg told her running wouldn’t help anymore. She forced herself up. 

 

“Ow!” Something hit her in the head. Opening teary eyes, she stared at the object in her lap – the Moon Rod. When Chiral lunged again, there was no time to think. She couldn’t use her Halation without transforming, so she put it to another use.

 

_ Thunk. _

 

Usagi didn’t expect much to happen. When Chiral stopped, dazed, she frowned and glanced at the weapon. The jewel at the top was shining and there was energy coming off of it. She looked up at the moon as he slowly folded.

 

“Well, that’s interesting,” she muttered, deciding not to question her odd stroke of luck. With some work, she dragged herself closer to the man. “Now I guess I wait for the others…?”

 

Chiral stirred. She whacked him with the rod again. With mild interest – mild because she was rather dazed herself, though it was from exhaustion, not being hit in the face with a heavy jeweled scepter – she watched the Senshi finish Achiral with a Sailor Planet Attack before looking for his twin. He twitched, so she hit him a third time for good measure. Everyone stared.

 

Usagi stood up, though her injured leg was trembling, and stepped to the side. “You may now squish the bug,” she proclaimed. 

 

Jupiter eyed her warily. “Right…”

 

Tuxedo Kamen pulled her further away. “Come over here, Usako, and let the Senshi take care of it for you.”

 

“’Kay,” she agreed, leaning against his solid frame. “He ruined these nice slacks. Where are they from, anyway?”

 

“Ah… The queen’s wardrobe,” he answered. 

 

“Oh, dear,” Usagi frowned. “Then he’s a very bad bug.”

 

“A  _ very _ bad bug,” Venus agreed. She leaned over to Mercury. “What happened to her?”

 

“I think it’s just exhaustion,” the blue-haired girl answered. 

 

“It’d better be just exhaustion,” Mars muttered. “Let’s kill him and go.”

 

The girls quickly invoked their powers before finishing with a strong cry of “SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!” Usagi sang along. Tuxedo Kamen patted her hair, looking at Kunzite for advice. The general only shook his head as the second brother disintegrated. 

 

“Let’s get her the rest of the way,” Jupiter said. “Her leg’s hurt.”

 

“We have thirty-eight seconds before more droids appear,” Mercury added.

 

Tuxedo Kamen picked her up. “It’s just past that building, isn’t it?” Kunzite nodded, so the hero took those last steps and felt the comforting layer of power when he walked through the barrier. She was safe. The others followed as the droids arrived, too late to stop them.

 

88888888

 

Mercury looked Usagi over after healing her leg and decided what she needed most was a hot bath, food, and rest. Her natural resilience would see to everything else. 

 

“I’ll take her,” Jupiter said. “She doesn’t need a lot of questions, and I can treat bruises.”

 

“She seems to have regressed to a childish mentality,” Mercury cautioned. “I think it’s best if she doesn’t see Chibiusa-chan till morning.”

 

“I can talk to Chibiusa-chan,” Mars volunteered. “If we let her see Usagi after she’s asleep, Chibiusa-chan will accept that she’s back. Venus can help keep her occupied till then.”

 

Mercury nodded. “Then I’ll see about food. Can you help, Tuxedo Kamen-sama?”

 

He watched Jupiter lead Usagi to the bathroom. “I guess so. You sure she’ll be okay?”

 

“As much as can be hoped,” Ami answered, now de-transformed. 

 

88888888

 

Makoto hummed as she helped Usagi wash her hair. The blonde was chattering about random things and the other girl just nodded as she checked for injuries. The bruise on her jaw was obvious enough, and street-wise Makoto knew it was the result of a fist to the face. There were a few mottling her right shoulder and arm, probably from a fall. None were going to hurt much, and the long scrape on her leg was already gone thanks to Mercury. 

 

There were secrets between the Senshi. Usagi and Minako kept their own council. Rei Saw more than she said. The brunette was sure Ami had information from her computer she never shared, be it about the past, their powers or enemies. Well, Makoto knew some things too. 

 

There were times at night when she heard a voice in the stars. Just words, here and there, not much content or explanation. In a storm, when a break in the clouds showed their distant lights, she could hear more. The voice was familiar, like a memory. It warned her of danger, but it was never enough to avoid trouble. It only let her temper it. That voice had told her Usagi would need her. She’d assumed it meant the rescue, but she knew now, with her best friend so vulnerable, she’d need Makoto’s silence. The others never would have been able to resist. 

 

“I’m hungry,” Usagi said, interrupting her thoughts. “What do we have to eat?”

 

Makoto smiled. “I’m not sure. Ami-chan was getting something together.”

 

“No carrots,” she said, wrinkling her nose like her namesake. 

 

“Of course not. She knows you don’t like them.” She helped her friend to her feet. “Get dried off and we can go eat.”

 

Makoto left Usagi’s ruined clothes where they were, reminding herself to take care of them later. She handed the blonde pajamas of soft pink flannel with a matching robe and slippers before ushering her down to the kitchens.

 

The palace kitchens were massive, of course, but there was a breakfast nook near the smallest oven. Ami was setting several plates of food on the table as they appeared.

 

Mamoru got up and set his hand on her jaw. Golden sparks danced against the skin until the dark bruise vanished. “Are you all right?”

 

Usagi nodded as she tumbled into her seat and reached for the food. “I’m okay.” She piled rice and curry onto her plate. 

 

Makoto met his gaze over Usagi’s head. “She’s fine,” she confirmed. “Tired and still acting like a child, but nothing some sleep can’t fix. There are some bruises here and there, but I doubt any of them really hurt.”

 

In the time it took to say that, the blonde devoured most of her supper. The others sat down and helped themselves. Usagi ate two more servings before her head began to fall on Mamoru’s shoulder. He smiled and helped her up. “I’ll get her settled. Chibiusa-chan can come by in a half hour or so.”

 

“Do you want to see her?” Rei asked.

 

He shook his head. “I have to be with Usako. You understand, right?”

 

Ami nodded. “We can stay with Chibiusa-chan. She’d enjoy a mini-sleepover.”

 

Usagi murmured something, so he carried her upstairs. Everyone had settled in various empty rooms. Their décor suggested they might be chambers their future selves occupied, or at least guest rooms they’d furnished. The one he’d chosen was done in white with a large vase of roses on a table beneath the window. He set her on the bed, but she reached for him.

 

“Stay, Mamo-chan,” she murmured. “Need you.”

 

He nodded and settled next to her. “Go to sleep, Usako.”

 

Usagi curled up against his side and was out in moments.

 

88888888

 

Mamoru slipped out of bed the following morning just after what would’ve been dawn if there was anything other than darkness in their future. He went into the adjacent bathroom to wash up just before Usagi started to scream. 

 

He dashed back and grabbed her arms. “Usako, wake up! It’s a nightmare, a dream; it’s not real. I’m here. You’re all right.”

 

“No, it burns, and everyone stares, and it’s  _ evil _ ! Don’t make me stay here!”

 

“Usako, come on,” he pleaded. “You’re in the Crystal Palace. You’re safe. Chibiusa will be looking for you soon, and the Senshi. You’re not alone.”

 

“Mamo-chan! Mamo-chan, don’t leave me here! I need you!” Tears rolled down her face.

 

“I didn’t. I  _ couldn’t _ . Usako, wake up.” He brushed away the sparkling droplets anxiously. “The curse broke, remember? You’re not trapped. You’re safe.”

 

Usagi shuddered against his hands. “No, don’t touch me! Mamo-chan!”

 

Rei appeared at the door, pale with worry. “I heard screaming. What happened?!”

 

“She’s having a nightmare. I can’t wake her up.”

 

“Move.” She crouched at the bedside, taking Usagi’s hand in both of hers. She quickly slid into her mind and found the dream. “She’s reliving what happened, but you already guessed that. We can’t pull her out by talking and I don’t have any charms on me for something like this. Either she’ll watch the entire thing again, or she’ll break free herself.”

 

“Can you reach her?” Mamoru pressed. “You can see her dreams. Can you interfere?”

 

“I can’t stop nightmares. I can change them, but she needs to leave on her own.”

 

“So make it something she can fight. There has to be a way to make this easier.”

 

Rei’s hand clenched into a fist. “If I forced it to the Silver Millennium, she’d slip free out of habit, but that’s more torment. She’s fragile right now; I don’t know if she can handle it.”

 

“Would it be better if she went through her entire ordeal again?” he demanded. “We don’t know what happened. I can help if she’s dreaming of the Silver Millennium.”

 

Usagi was weeping silently, and her expression broke his heart. Rei saw it too. “You’re right. Better something long gone.” Her eyes closed again and her face went blank. After a minute, she snapped back. “It’s done, but hurry. I don’t know how much she can take.”

 

“No!” she cried. “Endymion! Don’t die! You can’t leave me!”

 

“I didn’t leave you,” he soothed. “I’m here, Usako. The Silver Millennium is gone. We’re alive. I’m sitting right next to you.”

 

She tore out of the dream and her eyes flew open, looking around wildly until they met his. An instant later she was in his arms, clinging to him. “Mamo-chan,” she cried. “Mamo-chan, Mamo-chan… You’re here, you’re really here. I’m not alone, right?” Rei slipped out as she wept into his chest. “You were gone, and there was so much pain. Don’t leave me alone!”

 

Mamoru winced. “I won’t. I wouldn’t have left at all, but I had to save Chibiusa-chan.”

 

“Chibiusa!” Usagi bolted upright. “She’s here! Is she okay?! She must’ve been scared!”

 

“She was at first, but we promised to bring you back. She’ll be at breakfast if you feel up to coming down and joining us.”

 

She nodded. “I’m fine.” Her stomach growled. “…And hungry.”

 

“There are clothes in the closet,” he told her as he went back to the bathroom. “They’re the same size as the ones I brought you yesterday, so they should fit.”

 

The selection was similar to what she’d been given the day before. Wool slacks or skirts, cashmere sweaters in soft pastels, simple clothing she liked. Usagi changed into light grey slacks and a baby blue sweater before searching out a comb. Her thrashing had made a mess of her hair.

 

“Let me help.”

 

She turned to smile at him. “Thanks.”

 

He took it and sat behind her on the bed. “Are you really ready to be up?”

 

Usagi nodded. “There’s a lot of healthy energy here, so I’m okay. I’ll probably sleep a lot for a few days, but I think I avoided any permanent damage.”

 

“What about that nightmare?” Mamoru asked in a low voice. 

 

She shuddered, not willing to discuss her captivity. “It’ll go away. I’m fine.”

 

He removed the last of the tangles. “If you insist, but be careful.”

 

Usagi quickly arranged her hair into its normal pigtails and buns. “I just want things to be normal so I can move on, Mamo-chan. To be with you, Chibiusa-chan and the girls. To visit Motoki-onii-san at Crown for a milkshake, to make fun of Luna and Artemis.”

 

“Well, I don’t know if Motoki-kun survived to this era, but the rest of us are here.”

 

She followed him down to the kitchen, but she only saw the room for a moment before Chibiusa was in her arms. “You’re okay!” she cried against Usagi’s sweater. “I was so scared.”

 

“Oh, Chibiusa-chan,” the older girl said soothingly. “It’s okay to be scared; I was too. I’m back though, and I don’t want to leave you again.”

 

“Mama’s hurt, and Papa is just a picture, and the Senshi don’t hear me when I try to talk to them! Everyone’s gone!”

 

Usagi looked at the others. “What happened?”

 

“The queen is comatose,” Mamoru answered reluctantly. “It was the only way for the Senshi to save her life, but they have to protect the palace and can’t spare the energy to release her. The king was hurt in the fighting. He linked his consciousness to the computer and uses a hologram of himself to communicate. He’s helped us while we’ve been here.”

 

She stroked her daughter’s hair. “We’ll find a way to save them,” Usagi promised. 

 

“Breakfast’s ready,” Makoto announced, setting a platter of pancakes on the table. “We can talk more about what happened later. For now let’s be normal.”

 

Everyone dug in, though Chibiusa refused to be away from Usagi and ate sitting on her lap. Usagi devoured more than any of the others, prompting the usual jokes about her piggish behavior. She responded in kind and laughter filled their little space. Finally, everyone set aside their plates. Makoto whisked them away to clean up, Kunzite kindly helping. 

 

Chibiusa looked up at Usagi. “Help Mama. Please? You can do that, right?”

 

The young heroine frowned. “I don’t know if I can, sweetie.” Her hand pressed against her chest. “I don’t have my brooch. I can’t be Sailor Moon.”

 

“Actually,” Kunzite corrected, “the Crystal Star does not enable your transformation. A Senshi’s power stems from her crystal, and you retained that. You only lack the knowledge of how to do so without the brooch channeling the magic.”

 

Silence reigned for a moment before Minako spoke. “So how does she do it?”

 

“I am not familiar with the specifics of the Silver Crystal, of course, but it cannot be too different from what she does already. Should she wish it, the crystal will grant her request and allow her to transform.”

 

“If it’s so simple, why have I never changed without a brooch?” Usagi asked.

 

“At times you did not possess the Crystal Star or the Moon Brooch, you also did not possess the crystal and were thus incapable of transforming,” he said. “I would not recommend doing so in your current condition.”

 

She nibbled her lip before smiling. “I’m fine, Kunzite. At least, I am while I’m here. I think I’d be able to use the Silver Crystal.”

 

“Can you help Mama?” Chibiusa pressed. “Please?”

 

“You really shouldn’t,” Mamoru argued. “Wait a day or two.”

 

“How long has the queen been unconscious?” Usagi asked quietly. 

 

“Since the Black Moon Clan arrived,” Endymion responded as his hologram appeared. “More than three months ago, now.”

 

“And you haven’t healed either?”   
  


“There’s not enough magic left in the planet. When the battle’s over, I’ll recover.”

 

“Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

 

The king shook his head. “If I did, I would be doing everything in my power to fix it. The war would end if she was here. Dark Moon does not have the strength to fight her.”

 

“So if I can revive the queen, we could go back to our lives.”

 

He inclined his head. “I would assume so.”

 

“But you don’t know if I can succeed,” she guessed. 

 

“As the past is right now, you did not, but it is possible to change that.”

 

“Then I should try.” Usagi got to her feet. “Where is she?”

 

“She’s in their chambers,” Rei answered. “Minako-chan and I saw her when we got here. Usagi, she’s not just asleep.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“She’s frozen,” Minako said quietly. “She’s sealed in quartz and doesn’t move, breathe, nothing. It’s like being dead.”

 

“The most appropriate term would be ‘suspended animation’,” Ami contributed. “She’s not dead, but she’s not truly alive either. What troubles me is that your current powers would be enough to break such a seal. I don’t know why the queen hasn’t.”

 

“There’s always an answer,” Makoto frowned. “Maybe it needs to be Usagi, or there’s some other condition.”

 

“It doesn’t matter. I have to try for Chibiusa-chan’s sake if nothing else.” She met each of their gazes. “You know I’ll do it no matter what. If you’re with me you can at least help.”

 

Makoto nodded. “I’m with you, Usagi-chan.”

 

Rei sighed. “You’re too reckless, but I’m in too. Just keep in mind I’ll stop you if you do too much.” Ami and Minako nodded. 

 

Mamoru stood and took her hand. “I think it’s too soon, but I’d never let you go alone. I’ll be with you, and I’ll help however I can.”

 

“Kunzite?” she asked. 

 

“I stand with you.”

 

“No reprimands for being foolish?”

 

He shook his head. “You know the potential repercussions of your actions.”

 

They entered Endymion and Serenity’s suite together. There in the front room lay the queen. In a way, the scene was lovely. Neo Queen Serenity had retained the beauty of her youth while her position brought added maturity, and the crystal shrouding her was clear. Were it not for the absolute stillness, she could’ve been asleep. 

 

Endymion and Mamoru saw it differently. The image was their greatest failure. They’d been unable to protect her and she’d been reduced to a lifeless shell. There was no heartbeat, no breath, no signs of life at all. Mamoru sent up a silent prayer that he’d never have to see Usagi sealed beneath the shining surface, perfect and altogether beyond him. 

 

Usagi trailed a hand over the smooth facets. “This is strange. I’m here, but I’m there too.”

 

“Can you help?” Chibiusa asked. 

 

“I don’t know. Nothing I learned in the past explains this. Where’s her crystal?”

 

“No one knows. It vanished just before Dark Moon attacked,” Endymion replied.

 

“That’s impossible,” she muttered in frustration. “She’d be dead if it was gone. Even the Senshi can’t hold her without the Silver Crystal.” She took a deep breath. “How do I transform? Would saying the words be enough?”

 

“If you reinforce the words with a wish, that should do,” said Kunzite. 

 

“Here goes.” She closed her eyes. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!”

 

The Silver Crystal appeared in her hand before settling against her chest as it would in her brooch. When the transformation was complete, there was no Crystal Star on her bow and the gem had vanished. She ran her hands down the sides of her uniform.

 

“So Sailor Moon does exist without the brooch,” Makoto said. “We should transform too. If necessary we can give you some of our power.”

 

“Try it,” Mars urged once everyone had powered up.

 

She stepped toward the crystal tomb again. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER!”

 

The light flared, and the Senshi’s tiaras glowed until energy filled the room. It sparkled on Neo Queen Serenity’s face, but nothing was happening. Sailor Moon wouldn’t give up and tried harder, but the crystal began to demand power she couldn’t surrender and she had to stop.

 

“She didn’t respond at all,” Mercury observed. 

 

“So, she can’t…” Chibiusa whispered. “Even Sailor Moon can’t save Mama.” She turned and fled as Sailor Moon fell, her Senshi catching her.

 

“Chibiusa!” she cried, getting to her feet, but Tuxedo Kamen stopped her. 

 

“Let her be by herself for now. She’ll be safe as long as she’s inside the palace.”

 

88888888

 

Chibiusa didn’t know how to cope with knowing Sailor Moon – powerful, beautiful Sailor Moon – couldn’t help her mother. She’d been told stories of the Moon Senshi all her life, and to find out she’d fail when Chibiusa needed her most… Crying, she didn’t notice when she crossed the palace’s protective barrier. Chibiusa went to an old swing with Luna-P and sat down. 

 

“Mama, what should I do?” A strange laugh echoed through the deserted city and she looked around wildly. “Who’s there?!”

 

A cloaked figure appeared, hands moving endlessly about a crystal orb. “I foresee that the star of my fate is at its most ideal. That is to say, the capture of the Rabbit!”

 

The little girl tried to bolt, frightened by the stranger, but she froze. “I can’t move!”

 

He laughed again. “It’s no use! This place is already our territory.” The world turned dark and eyes glowed in the shadowed face. “I see the terror in your heart. Abandoned in a corner of your mind, wrapped in a veil of oblivion, your memory of the legendary Silver Crystal…”

 

“No… No!” she shouted, covering her ears as Luna-P fell to the ground. He was in her mind, hearing her most private thoughts, seeing her memories…

 

_ A broken vase was lying at her feet as servants shouted. “Small Lady, you were up to no good again, weren’t you?! If you keep acting like that, you’ll never be a fine lady!” _

 

_ “Ha! I will, too!” she answered defiantly before running off.  _

 

_ “Small Lady!” the woman called after her retreating back.  _

 

_ “I want to hurry up and become a lady. Hurry up and… Hurry up and become a real lady! Just like Mama!” She went to the palace’s center, where the Silver Crystal lay on a velvet cushion under glass. She lifted Luna-P. “Just for a while… I’ll only borrow it for a bit. If I hold the legendary Silver Crystal, I’ll be like my wonderful mama.” _

 

_ Luna-P disengaged the security and she lifted the crystal for the first time, marveling at its warm glow. Her face lit with happiness. Then it flared. “NO!” she cried as it vanished from sight. “Oh, Silver Crystal… No, please don’t disappear!” _

 

_ Lightning crackled outside the palace and explosions devastated the city. Neo Queen Serenity searched for her daughter, calling her name. The attack flew at the vulnerable queen, who was saved only by the quick actions of her Senshi as the little girl cried for her mother. She shouted for her father too as he was injured in the assault.  _

 

_ “NO! Papa! Mama!” _

 

“I see. So, the Silver Crystal vanished. Fearful of the crime you committed, you erased the incident from your memory.”

 

She shook her head violently. “No! It… It wasn’t my fault!”

 

“Well, let’s see what they say about it then,” Wiseman taunted. 

 

“What?” Chibiusa asked, surprised. The Senshi appeared, shouting accusations with dark expressions on their normally kind faces. Chibiusa curled up on the ground, hands over her ears once more. “No! No!”

 

They all pointed. “It’s your fault! It’s all your fault!”

 

“I didn’t do anything! I just touched the crystal for a second! It’s not my fault!”

 

“Small Lady!” The figures of the Senshi faded, and again she saw the queen under attack before she was sealed away. 

 

“No! It’s not my fault!”

 

“That’s right, Rabbit,” Wiseman agreed. “You are correct. And you must assert your innocence by force.”

 

“I can do that? I can get everyone to believe me?”

 

“You’ll make them understand that you’re correct. Now, take my hand.”

 

She was desperate to be believed, to not be blamed, not realizing it hadn’t been the Senshi who condemned her. Luna-P rolled away as Chibiusa took those fateful steps.

 

88888888

 

Prince Demando paced in agitation. “I need Serenity,” he snapped. 

 

Saphir sighed. “She is within the bounds of the palace and is not likely to leave until she has recovered her strength. I do not see how you could hope to reach her.”

 

“Then there must be a way to draw her out.”

 

“She is not a fool, nii-san. She will stay where she is safe until she has healed, and then there would be no way to capture her again.”

 

“So let’s force her out. She cannot be Sailor Moon, which means she is vulnerable.”

 

“You mean an attack on the shield?” Saphir asked, surprised. “That would be suicide. No one would accept such a mission.”

 

“Unless she had no other choice,” Demando countered. “Esmeraude’s treachery is the reason Serenity was able to escape. It would be most fitting if she was to retrieve her.”

 

“I cannot believe you would sacrifice Esmeraude for this. Nii-san, we had a goal when we came to this planet.”

 

Demando ruffled his brother’s hair in a rare show of affection. “I remember. We will be able to live freely on Earth. I believe Serenity is the way to achieve our dream.” He settled back in his throne and took a sip of wine. “Esmeraude.”

 

The general appeared at once, kneeling with her head down. “Demando-sama.”

 

“You disobeyed me and your actions resulted in the loss of a valuable prisoner. As payment for your crime, you are now to place the Crystal Palace in a state of siege until you capture Serenity and return her here. Am I clear?”

 

“Demando-sama, I apologize, but I do not possess such incredible power. I would only exhaust myself against the barrier.”

 

“See Wiseman for something to aid you. It is this task or a far more severe punishment. Do you understand?”

 

Esmeraude inclined her head. “Yes, Demando-sama.” She teleported away.

 

The hologram podium activated and two images appeared – one of Neo Queen Serenity, the other Sailor Moon. The prince smiled as he planned.

 

88888888

 

“Wiseman!” Esmeraude called as she appeared in his workroom. It was pitch black. “Where are you?! Show yourself!”

 

A strange laugh bounced across the crystal walls and the general narrowed her eyes. When she asked who was there, the sound only repeated. Wiseman phased through the floor and into view as the room’s lights came on. 

 

“The dead say anger comes from within and gives you strength, a double-edged sword that bewitches what you hear and what you think.” 

 

“Are you saying I imagined hearing that?” she demanded. “Well, never mind. Wiseman, I need your help! I will be taking charge of the attack on the Crystal Palace, and to do so I need power greater than ever before. I’m sure you’ll be able to give me that.”

 

“Is this an order from the prince?”

 

“Yes, as punishment for my  _ crimes _ . Since it helps you it shouldn’t matter.”

 

Wiseman caressed his crystal ball. “I foresee the image of the queen reigning over the coming future. That is Queen Esmeraude.”

 

“Queen?!” she whispered. It wasn’t the first time Wiseman used Esmeraude’s desire for Demando against her. That was how he’d been able to make her attack Usagi. She wasn’t stupid, but anger and jealousy clouded her thoughts. She believed what he said.

 

“The difference in power that sets you apart from Neo Queen Serenity is very slight. In short, with the power of the Evil Black Crystal, you will surpass the queen.” It was a blatant untruth, but one he knew would draw her in.

 

“I will be queen…”

 

A gem formed in the orb before pulling free and becoming a crown of black crystal. It flew to Esmeraude. Though she reached for it automatically, she didn’t touch it. 

 

“I don’t want you to think I can be tricked into taking the bait so easily, but if it’s to win Demando-sama’s heart I would even make a deal with the Devil himself.” She took the crown but screamed as its energy flowed. Wiseman watched, unmoving, as she laughed, gowned as a queen might be. “This power brimming in my body! I am indeed the queen of the future! The ruler who will govern the world together with Demando-sama!”

 

The sorcerer spoke once more, eyes glowing. “Are you quite certain of that?”

 

“What?” Esmeraude demanded. Smoke rose around her. “What is this?!”

 

“Do you think someone like you could handle the true power of the Evil Black Crystal? You’ll sacrifice your life for me.”

 

“Damn you, Wiseman,” the general managed as she collapsed. “Demando-sama… I only wanted to rule the country of the future with you…” She passed out.

 

“Foolish woman,” Wiseman sneered. 

 

A smoky cocoon formed around her and grew and grew until a dragon appeared and smashed its way out of the base before teleporting to the Crystal Palace. 

 

88888888

 

When the palace began quaking, the Senshi ran to the computer center. Endymion was there looking for answers. One of the screens displayed the dragon as it attacked.

 

“You’re kidding me, right?!” Jupiter demanded. “A dragon? Is this our lives now?”

 

“Wait!” Endymion intervened. “Do not panic, my friends!” He activated another portion of the console and the image changed to an analysis of the beast. “This is… Look. Do not be deceived by its appearance. That dragon is formed by amplified life energy. In other words, the energy of a person’s heart.”

 

“A person’s heart?” Mars repeated.

 

Sailor Moon grimaced. “What person’s heart would create that monster?!”

 

Luna and Artemis joined them. “It’s going to break through the barrier!” Luna said.

 

“We have no choice but to go outside and draw the dragon’s attention,” Venus decided. 

 

“I knew it,” Sailor Moon moaned. She had to go – her Halation was their best chance of winning – but she didn’t know if her power could stand another drain. 

 

“Anyway, let’s do what we can!” Mercury said. The others nodded. 

 

“King, please take care of Chibiusa-chan… no, I mean, Small Lady,” Tuxedo Kamen requested. The king agreed as they raced from the room. 

 

“Be strong, brave ones,” Endymion said.

 

88888888

 

The dragon’s assault was fierce, and the Senshi who fought to maintain the shield felt every single strike. Their power would not last forever.

 

“It’s huge!” Sailor Moon cried.

 

“We’ll lose if we give into fear,” Mercury responded. The creature turned on them, and the wind of its passing threw them off their feet. Venus caught Sailor Moon. 

 

“But how should we fight it?!” Mars asked. 

 

“We just have to take a chance!” Venus said. “VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!” A gash was scored in the dragon’s flank, but another gust threw her to the ground. The others raced to her side as the mark vanished. 

 

“Mars,” the Moon Senshi shouted, “try to read its mind! The dragon won’t show damage because it’s just energy. It’s a person. I need to know if we can help them.”

 

“Why should we help them?” Tuxedo Kamen demanded. 

 

“If we don’t, we’re no better than they are.”

 

Mars didn’t waste time arguing. “Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!” Red flame stretched forward, and at first it seemed like it would fail. At the last moment it touched and held. “They’re crying… Like they suffered a broken heart again and again… Like they were betrayed…” Her words were slow and broken, and she was struggling to keep the connection. 

 

“Then I can save them?” Sailor Moon asked.

 

“Maybe. I don’t know if you should use that much power.” She finally let the link die out. “I can’t get anything else. Its thoughts are too disjointed. That dragon might have come from a person, but the power is affecting its sentience.”

 

“Mercury, find out how to destroy the dragon form so we can get to the person,” Venus ordered. “Jupiter, we need it grounded.”

 

“Got it. SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!”

 

“How do we hold it?” Sailor Moon asked. “If we’re not careful we’ll kill them.”

 

Mercury tapped on her visor. “Jupiter, use a low-grade attack to keep it paralyzed. To destroy the dragon, destroy the object amplifying their energy – the crown.”

 

“Who is it, though?” Mars wondered.

 

It was Esmeraude. It  _ had _ to be Esmeraude. Attacking the barrier was basically suicide and the general had to have lost Demando’s favor by hurting her. Sailor Moon didn’t know where the crown was from, though she had her suspicions. “Hold it,” she ordered. “Venus, destroy the crown if you can. Your Crescent Beam should be enough. Will it work, Mercury?”

 

“It should,” the Senshi of Knowledge answered. “The dragon is powerful. The crown is just an amplifier.”

 

Jupiter threw out a hand, electricity crackling. “SUPREME THUNDER!”

 

“Keep it steady,” Mercury warned. “Hurry, Venus.”

 

Venus leapt onto the dragon’s snout and pressed her finger to the jewel at the center as she packed power into her attack. “CRESCENT BEAM!”

 

At first there seemed to be no response. Sailor Moon was about to try when a crack formed. An instant later the crown shattered and smoke shrouded the form. Once it faded, a woman fell unconscious to the ground. 

 

“Esmeraude!” Tuxedo Kamen hissed. 

 

The Senshi recoiled, all but Sailor Moon. The blonde knelt and brushed her hair from her face before checking for a pulse. “She’s alive. We have to get her inside.”

 

“She kidnapped Chibiusa-chan,” Venus said, disbelieving. “She helped Demando keep you prisoner by using her as leverage.”

 

“She’s also the one who tried to kill me,” Sailor Moon said, unbothered. “She’s hurt, not evil. Should I let her become another Beryl? Should I destroy her? She’s already had to watch the man she loves chase after someone else. No one deserves that.”

 

Jupiter shrugged, slinging the woman over her shoulder. “How do we get her in?”

 

“The barrier prevents anyone with ill intentions from entering,” Mercury told her leader. “I don’t know if we can take her through.”

 

Mars sighed, not liking the idea but going along with it because she knew her best friend would do it anyway. “Esmeraude is unconscious, so she  _ has _ no intentions. The barrier shouldn’t affect her.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen frowned. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”

 

“No, but I have to try.”

 

88888888

 

Demando looked to his younger brother for answers as the Senshi carried Esmeraude’s body through the barrier. “What just happened?”

 

“I could pose a series of possibilities, but I have no concrete answer. We know the barrier was constructed to keep us out, but the specific means is unclear. That Esmeraude was able to cross its boundary is a mystery. As for the dragon form, I would assume she made a request of Wiseman. Whether the result was intentional is another question.”

 

“You think Wiseman tricked Esmeraude?”

 

Saphir bowed his head. “Yes, though I have no proof. I do not trust him, nii-san. With Serenity gone, Esmeraude was the only one who could have supported her claims that he was involved in the assault. Wiseman eliminated a potential threat.”

 

“Is Esmeraude dead?”

 

“That would be the most obvious conclusion. We knew ordering the attack was likely to see her killed.”

 

“True,” Demando sighed. “I had hoped Esmeraude might prove more resourceful.”

 

“Had the Senshi of the past not understood the nature of the beast so soon, it had a chance of succeeding. You underestimated them.”

 

The prince glared. “I am aware of their capabilities, Saphir.” He got to his feet. “I will go speak with Wiseman.”

 

Saphir watched as his elder brother left, frowning. Once he was alone, he summoned his droids. “Yes, Saphir-sama?” they asked together as they appeared. 

 

“Tell me what you know of Wiseman’s actions.”

 

“It’s terrible, Saphir-sama,” Veneti murmured. “The Wiseman is not a friend to the clan. He has abducted the child.”

 

“The queen’s daughter,” Aquatici supplied when their master gave them a questioning look. “More, he has learned the whereabouts of the legendary Silver Crystal. The girl has it, though she is not aware of it.”

 

“Impossible. A bearer would die without her crystal and Neo Queen Serenity is alive.”

 

The droids shrugged. “We know little of the high magic,” Veneti said. “There is a crystal in the girl. Whether it is the Silver Crystal or not matters little.”

 

Aquatici sighed. “Already Wiseman has filled her mind with darkness, and he will do the same to her body. She will be a clanswoman soon.”

 

“Then he shows his true colors. Keep watching. I will do what I can to stop him.”

 

“Saphir-sama, he will kill you if he realizes,” Veneti fretted. 

 

“I am not afraid of him, Veneti. He will not catch me unaware.” He let out a long breath, preparing himself for what was to come. “If something happens to me, find someone to give this information to. Nii-san is under Wiseman’s sway, and Esmeraude is gone.”

 

“There must be someone we can trust,” Aquatici said. “Someone has to know.”

 

Saphir inclined his head. “Indeed they must. If I perish, carry the truth to Sailor Moon.”

 

“She would destroy us,” Aquatici said with a frown. 

 

Veneti nodded. “We are droids, though our intentions are good. The Senshi would have no reason to take our word.”

 

“You are not creatures of battle. I hope they will see that you are no threat to them.” He faced them. “Swear to me the Senshi will learn the truth. Wiseman will see me dead next, so promise what we have learned will not die as well.”

 

“We promise,” they said solemnly.

 

Saphir relaxed. “Thank you, my friends. Now go. Learn whatever you may of Wiseman and the Rabbit. Sailor Moon will need anything you can discover.” The droids disappeared, leaving the younger prince to his dark thoughts.

 

88888888

 

“Lay her down,” Mercury instructed as they reached the palace’s medical wing. 

 

Jupiter lowered Esmeraude onto a cot. “She’s really pale and her heartbeat isn’t very strong. I don’t think we have much time.”

 

The Senshi of Knowledge wheeled over an equipment cart and began, setting electrodes on Esmeraude’s chest and temples with deft detachment. “Mars, use this to take her pulse. Tuxedo Kamen-sama, is there anything you can do?”

 

“I don’t know their technology,” he responded, “and I’m not strong enough to keep her alive when she’s so poisonous to me.”

 

“A full healer might not be enough even if that wasn’t the case,” Sailor Moon said. “She doesn’t want to live. Unless we can give her hope, she won’t last. I have to bring her back.”

 

“Usagi-chan, this is ludicrous,” Venus said. “She tried to kill all of us.”   
  


“She’s not really our enemy. She just wanted Demando to care.”

 

The others began to argue, but Jupiter interrupted. “We can’t stop her and we shouldn’t try. She’s right. We need to help or we’ll just make things more difficult.”

 

The Moon Senshi smiled. “Thank you, Jupiter. Mars, can you take me into her mind? I need to talk to her.”

 

“I can try, but I don’t know if her spirit can support the contact. She’s going fast.”

 

“Then we have to be faster. If it’s a fight, I might lose her before I can get rid of the dark energy. I need her to want my help.”

 

Mars nodded. “Mercury, we need another cot over here.” The other girl wheeled one up to them. “Lay down, Usagi.”

 

Sailor Moon obeyed, closing her eyes. “Now what?”

 

“Touch your mind to mine. Not hard, just enough to feel it. There you go. Now come with me, but I have to warn you: she’s full of dark power. This will hurt.”

 

She followed, and though she grimaced with distaste she pressed on. The darkness tried to tear into her, to do what it had done to Esmeraude, but she let her light flare. She sank the last few levels and touched her mind to Esmeraude’s as Mars withdrew. To simplify matters, Sailor Moon created a setting for their conversation. Nothing fancy – a room with two couches, a window, a table, and chair. Esmeraude was lying on one of the couches, unmoving.

 

“We need to talk.”

 

“Am I dead?” the general asked. “Is this where I’m to be judged for my sins?”

 

“You’re dying,” Sailor Moon said honestly. “You need to listen before it’s too late.”

 

“Too late for what? I lost.”

 

“You lost a battle, not the war. If you really love Demando, you’ll listen to me.”

 

She opened her eyes and raked an appraising glance over the Senshi before going to the window. Its image shifted to the Black Moon Clan’s base. “I can’t reach him. He loves you.”

 

“He thinks he loves me,” she countered. “Whether he does or doesn’t, I don’t know. You shouldn’t have been sent here. Someone was trying to get rid of you.”

 

“Demando-sama ordered me to capture you for what I did.”

 

“He didn’t give you that crown.” He was their enemy and she still didn’t know what to think of him, but she truly believed he wasn’t capable of something so heinous. “Someone hoped we’d kill you without realizing there was a person under the dragon’s form.”

 

“Wiseman,” Esmeraude whispered. “He said I would be queen…”

 

“Let me help,” Sailor Moon pressed. “If you don’t fight me, I’ll give you another chance. Even if you can’t be with Demando, you could be happy.”

 

“If I don’t have Demando-sama, I have nothing. I don’t want your charity.”

 

“Damn it!” she shouted. “Can you hear yourself?! I’m  _ trying _ to help. Not just you, but Demando and your entire clan. You can tell me what happened so I can save him!”

 

“Save him?” Esmeraude repeated, turning to face her. “You want to save him?”

 

“I don’t want anyone to die,” Sailor Moon answered honestly. “There’s hope for your clan, and I think you can help. You’d lose some of your power, maybe all, but you’d be alive, and you could have information I need to save the others.”

 

Mars gave a warning: Esmeraude’s time was running out, and Mercury was afraid if she died while their minds were in contact Sailor Moon would too. She reassured her friend that she wouldn’t be much longer before focusing again. 

 

“I don’t know how to be a good person,” Esmeraude said. “I don’t fight for justice… but I know love. If I can save Demando-sama by helping you, I will.”

 

The Senshi nodded before pulling her mind back, racing into her body. The rush left her dizzy, but she shoved it aside and got up as the Silver Crystal appeared. “How long, Mercury?”

 

“Thirty seconds, maybe more. Her spirit is recovering, but she needs energy.”

 

“MOON CRYSTAL POWER!” 

 

_ Quickly, _ she prayed.  _ Don’t let her slip, Silver Crystal. Let her live. Let her have the light she never knew. Just help her. _

 

The crystal lit in response, growing brighter as Esmeraude slipped. Sailor Moon reached out, washing away the darkness and giving her strength. Finally, the black magic fell away and her mind remained on its own. Sailor Moon sank back onto her cot with an exhausted smile.

 

88888888

 

“They’re asleep,” Mercury murmured after examining them. 

 

“Good,” Jupiter said. “She’s okay?”

 

“She’s fine. I don’t think she drained herself too badly.”

 

Endymion’s hologram appeared. “Wake her up. Now.”

 

Venus looked at him, startled, as Kunzite silently obliged. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I cannot find Small Lady in the palace. She seems to have disappeared, but I found Luna-P in the room with Serenity.”

 

Sailor Moon opened her eyes and sat up. “Chibiusa-chan is gone?”

 

The king nodded. “I haven’t seen her since you tried to awaken her mother.”

 

“We’ll search for her,” Tuxedo Kamen volunteered. The others nodded. 

 

“Sailor Moon shouldn’t,” Mercury cautioned. “She needs to rest.”

 

The Moon Senshi was ready to argue, but she sighed and acquiesced. “You’ll make me stay regardless of what I think, so go. I have questions for the king anyway.”

 

Kunzite teleported to the furthest protected space as the others ran, leaving Sailor Moon with a hologram of her future husband and the enemy she’d just rescued. 

 

“She’s gone,” Sailor Moon said. “The Black Moon Clan has her. Don’t bother lying to me; I can tell if you try.”

 

Endymion hesitated but nodded. “You were not meant to know.”

 

“You wouldn’t be so worried if she’d just wandered off. I was there; I can guess what’ll happen. Wiseman will turn her.” The king stayed silent. “How are there two Silver Crystals?”

 

“I beg your pardon?” Endymion asked, startled. 

 

“Two Silver Crystals,” she repeated. “I’ll always recognize my own crystal. The queen has it, but another one made this city. It’s not yours, and it’s not quite mine. I have theories, but it would help if you’d just tell me.”

 

He sighed. “These things are supposed to be a mystery.”

 

“It’s safe to say I’ve twisted this timeline beyond belief. Answering shouldn’t make much of a difference except to confirm what I already know.”

 

“Very well. The second Silver Crystal, as it were, both is and isn’t the same. It came into being when Small Lady was born and is her Sailor Crystal.”

 

“Where’s the queen’s consciousness? She should be able to break the seal, especially since she has the Silver Crystal, but there’s no sense of her at all.”

 

“If Serenity’s past self – that is to say, you – ever learned the answer, I wasn’t told. I imagine if her consciousness is directed outward, she is with our daughter.”

 

Sailor Moon nodded. “They won’t find Chibiusa-chan. Would I be able to help her if I went back to Dark Moon’s base right now?” Not that breaking in seemed like a good idea.

 

“No.”

 

The others began to trickle in, clearly at a loss. 

 

“Well, I guess we’re playing a new game now.”


	4. Part 4

Demando was brooding as he often did, seated on his throne and paying no heed to the surge of the Evil Black Crystal. Saphir was in his lab conducting whatever experiment suited him. Wiseman and his new puppet appeared to the prince. 

 

“The opportunity is upon us,” the advisor rasped. 

 

Demando lifted his gaze. “Wiseman!”

 

“The servant of our Evil Black Crystal, the Rabbit, has obtained a rare power and become the Queen of Darkness.”

 

That finally got his attention. “What? You are the Rabbit?” His eyes skimmed the very mature form and dark outfit before locking on the black moon, the symbol of his clan. It was impossible for Neo Queen Serenity’s daughter to have such a mark. 

 

She laughed. “I am Black Lady.”

 

“Demando, go to the past immediately. Once Black Lady’s power has manifested itself, you are certain to be able to take control of the Earth.”

 

The woman – girl? – laughed again as they vanished, Demando not even noticing the lack of honorifics. He could see the girl’s parentage once he considered it; Serenity gazed back at him in the lines of her face. How had the princess of Crystal Tokyo come to be one of his servants?

 

His hand fisted. “Finally, the time to take back the Earth has come. Our revenge is here!”

 

88888888

 

Sailor Moon waited for Esmeraude to wake up. Her Senshi had returned to the search while Tuxedo Kamen and Kunzite spoke to the king. She knew he wouldn’t tell them anything. When the green haired woman stirred, the Moon Senshi eased her up and gave her a sip of water. Esmeraude took the glass and drank more before meeting her eyes. 

 

“You have questions.”

 

“Chibiusa-chan is gone. You called her Rabbit. Do you know why they took her?”

 

“You promised Demando-sama you would remain in exchange for her freedom. With the deal void she had no protection, but I don’t think Demando-sama would order her kidnapping.”

 

“No,” Sailor Moon agreed. “He didn’t seem to care about her at all.”

 

“He wanted us to find her because we thought she had the crystal. Whether it is true or not, I don’t know, but I don’t think he pursued her. You’re his goal now.”

 

The younger girl toyed with her ribbon, still expecting the Crystal Star to be there. She paused to appraise her newest ally. Esmeraude had been a general and a warrior, devoted to her prince. Now Sailor Moon saw a sad woman clinging to the hope that someone she considered a threat might save the man she loved. It was hard to believe Esmeraude had left her to die before. 

 

“What did you intend to do in Tokyo? You probably would’ve become the head of operations in my time after Rubeus died if I hadn’t stumbled into Demando’s grasp so handily.”

 

She nodded. “You know the planet in your time is magically depleted, weak in several places. I meant to strike those vulnerabilities and open a Black Gate. It would have allowed the power of the Evil Black Crystal to cross from my time to yours.”

 

“What method will they use now that the generals are gone?” Sailor Moon asked.

 

“I don’t know; such possibilities were not discussed. Besides, not all of the generals have failed – Saphir might choose to take an active role in the battle.” Esmeraude inclined her head when Sailor Moon made a disgusted sound. “Saphir doesn’t like fighting. He prefers working with his droids and staying near Demando-sama.”

 

“Saphir is a good man. I’m surprised he’s taking part in this at all.”

 

“He has always followed Demando-sama regardless of their path. In some ways he’s his brother’s conscience and the only person who prevents Wiseman from having complete control.”

 

“But what will they do?”

 

“They’ll try to draw the power of the Evil Black Crystal to the past, though which tactic they’ll use I don’t know.”

 

Sailor Moon sighed. “Once I reach Pluto we’ll find out. You’ll need to stay here.”

 

“I’m not going to be able to help?” the older woman asked icily. 

 

“I’m worried that if Wiseman catches even the slightest hint you’re alive he’ll find a way to kill you personally. I don’t think I’d be able to stop him again. With any luck we’ll be able to put an end to this without you being forced to fight your clan.”

 

Jupiter raced in. “Pluto sent a hologram with news,” she reported hurriedly.

 

Sailor Moon leapt to her feet. “We have to go. I’m sorry, Esmeraude, but you  _ have  _ to stay in the palace. King Endymion will make sure you’re comfortable. Tell him if you remember anything that can help; he’ll have Pluto bring word.”

 

“Please save Demando-sama, Sailor Moon.”

 

“I’ll try,” she promised. “Let’s move, Jupiter.”

 

The stormy Senshi led her to the palace gardens, still enclosed in the protective barrier. The image of Pluto faced them as they joined the others. “Sailor Moon, I have news of Small Lady. She passed through my realm. It appears immediately after Demando also headed for the past,” she said. “Small Lady was not herself. Something bad must have happened to her.”

 

Pluto knew what was wrong with the girl, but Sailor Moon accepted that it was her job to say only what was safe. When the image raised a hand, she looked behind her. The remnants of Crystal Tokyo were replaced by the mists of the fourth dimension and the Door itself, which swung open at once. Light poured over them. 

 

“Sailor Pluto, tell us what happened between now and when we become king and queen and build Crystal Tokyo,” Tuxedo Kamen said. “What calamity befell Earth?”

 

“You have all seen part of a possible future now, but learning of the future is something you must not do. What is important is that you live firmly in the era you inhabit now.”

 

“Let’s go after Chibiusa-chan,” Sailor Moon decided. “We’ll worry about what’s coming when it does.”

 

The others nodded, launching themselves into Time. With Pluto hurrying them along, they materialized in Juuban Park almost instantly. Each took a deep breath, savoring the sweet air and undamaged landscape. Sailor Moon’s eyes locked on the moon overhead, soaking up its light. The cats prowled at their feet.

 

“We have to investigate what Demando is plotting,” Mercury said. 

 

The Moon Senshi’s grip tightened on Luna-P, which she’d brought with them. “We have to find Chibiusa-chan too.”

 

88888888

 

Chibiusa wasn’t far. In the business district, she and Demando were selecting a place to grow a Black Crystal. 

 

“Now is the time for the revenge I always dreamed of,” the white prince murmured, laughing. He removed one earring and held it out. A thin line of magic flowed from its tip to the street below and a crystal broke through. Black Lady extended her arms and used her new powers, pouring dark energy into it until it crackled and grew. Within moments it was several meters tall and expanding. An ominous cloud formed overhead.

 

88888888

 

“That’s evil energy!” Artemis exclaimed, drawing the Senshi’s attention. “Does the enemy intend to create a Dark Gate?”

 

“We can’t let them!” Sailor Moon shouted. They ran in that direction. Luna and Artemis were in front, then Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon. The Senshi followed them, and Kunzite guarded the rear. As they reached the park exit, something began to form and they stopped. 

 

The dark ribbons turned into a person, one Sailor Moon knew immediately. She couldn’t mistake the pink hair, despite her new age and the revealing black and crimson gown she was wearing. Even with the black moon marring her face, she recognized her child. The others gaped at the unknown woman obviously working for their enemy. When Tuxedo Kamen shifted, she knew he suspected the same. 

 

“I won’t let you pass beyond this point,” the newcomer said coldly. 

 

“Who are you?” Sailor Moon demanded, hoping the answer would ease her suspicions, knowing it wouldn’t. 

 

“I was given a new life by Wiseman. I am the Queen of Darkness, Black Lady!”

 

“Black Lady?” everyone said together.

 

Luna-P activated. “With the power of the Evil Black Crystal, I’ll turn Earth into a world of darkness.” The toy arced through the air, pulling all eyes to it as it flew directly to Black Lady, who opened her arms in welcome. “Oh, Luna-P. I see you remember me.” She embraced it and the gold crescent was replaced with black, its eyes taking on a more sinister cast. “You are my one and only precious friend.”

 

“Chibiusa-chan?!” Mars realized. 

 

The woman laughed. “There was once a time when I was called that.”

 

“It can’t be!” Tuxedo Kamen argued. 

 

“No! How could Chibiusa-chan have changed so much?!” She’d expected brainwashing, but her new temptress’ form was something she couldn’t have imagined. 

 

“If you can’t believe it, I’ll use Luna-P to make you believe!” Black Lady threw the ball down, and it came back up as a dark crimson umbrella with a surprisingly lethal tip. She opened it with a flick of her wrist. It began to rotate and a spiral of dark energy shot from its point. It crashed to the ground at their feet, hurling them back. 

 

“What incredible power,” Jupiter said with a grimace. 

 

“Chibiusa-chan, what in the world is this about?!” Venus demanded. 

 

An ugly expression touched her otherwise beautiful face. “I won’t forgive you!”

 

“Something’s wrong,” Mars said. “Those eyes… She’s been brainwashed!”

 

Instead of responding, Black Lady attacked again, striking at Sailor Moon directly. She screamed as the power sent her skidding. “Please stop this! Why do we have to fight?!”

 

“I hate those who slighted me,” Black Lady snarled. “I hate all living things!”

 

“Those who slighted you?!” Sailor Moon repeated, confused. “Who did?!”

 

“Everybody!”

 

“That can’t be true! Chibiusa-chan, your mama and papa, and everyone else love you!”

 

The umbrella closed. “That love was meaningless and false!” It spun and Black Lady launched herself at Sailor Moon. The heroine leapt out of the way before it hit, the attack leaving deep cracks in the pavement. 

 

“Sailor Moon, you can’t keep running away!” Luna called. 

 

“I can’t fight Chibiusa-chan!”

 

Black Lady fired several projectiles, knocking Sailor Moon to the ground. More came, pinning her in place, and she launched herself forward. “Die!”

 

Sailor Moon closed her eyes, accepting the blow, but something cut between them and stopped Black Lady. The umbrella flew from her hand and returned to its original shape. 

 

“Even a lovely flower will soon wilt if poisonous energy eats away at it,” Tuxedo Kamen said, a second rose in hand and ready to throw. “Chibiusa, you have been possessed by an evil power. Do not be deceived by it! Open your eyes!”

 

“So, you all intend to gang up on me?” Black Lady hurled Luna-P at her future father, who leaned to one side to avoid it. 

 

“Sailor Moon, use the Silver Crystal to destroy the evil possessing Chibiusa-chan!”

 

She nodded, getting to her feet. “All right! Small Lady, you’ve been corrupted by dark energy. Please be refreshed! MOON CRYSTAL POWER!” Black Lady flinched away from the pink rays, one arm shielding her eyes. “You’re only confused! Remember when you were young! Your mom and dad were kind to you; I’m sure of it!

 

_ “Mama, Papa, where are you? Everyone is so mean! Don’t leave me all alone!” _

 

_ Small Lady ran down the corridor, flinging open a door. She inhaled sharply when party crackers went off, filling the air with glitter and ribbons. There was a birthday cake on the table with five candles, her parents and the Senshi gathered by it.  _

 

_ “Small Lady,” her mother said with a smile. _

 

_ “Happy birthday,” her father added.   _

 

_ “Everyone!” _

 

_ “I’m sorry your birthday party is a day late,” her father apologized.  _

 

_ “But they finished their work and hurried back home,” Mercury added.  _

 

_ “We wanted to surprise you with tonight’s celebration,” Mars explained.  _

 

_ Jupiter nodded. “So we were all keeping it a secret.” _

 

_ Venus smiled brightly. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.” _

 

_ “No, it’s okay. Thank you, Mama, Papa, and everyone!” _

 

“They were all thinking of me…” Black Lady whispered.

 

Sailor Moon’s breath caught when their daughter flickered between maturity and youth. “Chibiusa!” Sailor Moon cried. She was so close…!

 

Wiseman’s image appeared and her heart sank, already knowing what would happen. “Black Lady, don’t be tricked. Recall your mean-spirited mother and your cruel father. You’re a poor little rabbit starved for love. You’re a lonely soul who always wished for those around you to celebrate your birthday. You saw that foolish illusion because your wish was so strong.”

 

“Illusion?” Black Lady repeated. “That happy memory I saw was an illusion?”

 

“Chibiusa, don’t let him lie to you!” Sailor Moon implored. “What you saw wasn’t a dream. It was the truth!”

 

“I don’t know anymore. Which is real?”

 

“You’re not loved by anyone. Intensify your hatred even more.” 

 

Black bands wrapped around her and the cute cake disappeared, and the table and lights. All that was left was the people, glaring at her angrily.  _ You are not loved by anyone! You’re not! _

 

Her hands were clasping her head now. “In reality, no one ever celebrated my birthday! I was never loved by anyone after all!” She rose into the air beside Wiseman, expression haughty and cold.  “I am Black Lady and I was given a new life by Wiseman. I am not Chibiusa!”

 

“No!” Mercury protested. “You are Chibiusa-chan!” Venus and Jupiter agreed.

 

“And you are Crystal Tokyo’s Small Lady!” the cats chorused. 

 

“You must not be fooled by the dark energy!” Tuxedo Kamen told her.

 

Black Lady smirked. “Soon the Evil Black Crystal’s power will be fired from Nemesis. You’ll be crushed to dust along with this planet and all will turn to darkness!” She and Wiseman vanished and some of the oppressive black aura faded away. 

 

Sailor Moon’s hands clenched into fists. “Chibiusa… How can we restore Chibiusa to her old self?” Tuxedo Kamen stood next to her, staring at the spot Black Lady just abandoned. The others, not knowing what to do, drifted home. When they were gone, she swallowed hard. “I want to cry and scream, but I can’t. I have to focus; Chibiusa needs me. I’m scared. I nearly lost you when you were brainwashed, and… Now it’s Chibiusa.”

 

He wrapped his arms around her. “If you need to cry, cry. If you want to scream, I’ll listen. If you’re frightened, you’re not alone. I’m scared too.”

 

Kunzite appeared, startling them. “I apologize for the interruption, but I slipped away after the appearance of Black Lady to find the source of the dark energy. I thought you might like to know what caused it.”

 

Sailor Moon rubbed her eyes. “I – Right. Thank you, Kunzite. What was it?”

 

“There seems to be a large crystal in the business center of Juuban a few blocks from my law firm. It is growing quickly; already it is two or more stories tall.”

 

“And it’ll be a focus for the Evil Black Crystal’s power,” she realized. “Chibiusa didn’t want us to destroy it.”

 

“I suspect it has already grown too much to be easily damaged. The source of the power would have to be cut off. Presumably its creation was the handiwork of Prince Demando, the Wiseman, and Black Lady. Should any of the three be eliminated, it will fail. It is imperative that you undo the brainwashing on Black Lady, Sailor Moon.”

 

“I know.” She turned, hiding her face in her boyfriend’s vest. 

 

“You can go, Kunzite,” Tuxedo Kamen said. “We’ll be at my apartment.”

 

Kunzite bowed. “Call should anything happen.” He disappeared. 

 

The first sob tore free of Usagi’s throat as she released her transformation. His flowed away as well and he gently urged her down. She sat in his lap as she wept out the pain of what had happened to her, her fears for their world, and her terror over the fate of their child. She didn’t notice the tear slipping down his cheek and into her hair. 

 

When her sobs quieted, Mamoru helped her to her feet and brushed the lingering droplets from her face. “This isn’t over,” he whispered. “We’ll get more chances.”

 

“I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

 

“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “Let’s go. We can do whatever we want tonight. Tomorrow we’ll make plans. Okay?”

 

A faint smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Okay.”

 

88888888

 

Saphir tucked himself into a corner of Wiseman’s room and waited. Veneti and Aquatici had warned him that Wiseman had been acting strange since the prince and Black Lady left, and Saphir thought he might accidentally let something important slip. He was alone for almost an hour, but Wiseman appeared suddenly. He looked the same as he had the day they’d met, though it would be difficult to find any changes. He’d never seen the advisor without his hooded cloak. 

 

“Yes…” the old magician rasped. “Soon the Dark Gate will open. The powers of my Evil Black Crystal will pour through the Earth of the past, and it will be destroyed.”

 

_ Destroyed? _ Saphir wondered.  _ The plan has always been to emigrate to the more fruitful Earth, to forsake Nemesis entirely. Destroying it would be contrary to our goals. _

 

“Black Lady is fulfilling her role well,” Wiseman said. “Demando is distracted by her presence and will not see the truth until it is too late. I will be rid of his brother and control him completely. The Death Phantom will have the destruction he craves.”

 

That was enough. Saphir teleported from the room. “Death Phantom,” he repeated as he hurried to the Black Crystal’s control room. “I knew Wiseman did not consider my brother his master.” Waving one hand, a tile in the floor lifted, revealing a glowing card. Saphir plucked it free and the crystal’s reactor dimmed. He pocketed the chip and prepared to leave, but when he turned Wiseman was there.

 

“Return the control chip,” Wiseman ordered. “Or you will suffer the consequences.”

 

“You already want to kill me,” the young man answered. “What threats are left?”

 

Eyes glowed beneath the hood. “There are worse fates than death. Consider that and replace the chip quickly. You do not know who you trifle with.”

 

“The Death Phantom,” Saphir said recklessly. “I heard you, Wiseman. I heard everything. You plan to control my brother and to destroy Earth. I will not obey you.”

 

The first blow was too sudden to evade and threw Saphir to the wall more than ten meters away. Wiseman was about to attack again, but Saphir was still strong. He vanished through space and time, and the energy bolt that would have killed him exhausted itself against a wall. 

 

Wiseman stared at the place where Saphir had so recently been slumped. “Then it will be death. Your brother must remain blind.”

 

He did not notice when two droids left as well, following their master. 

 

88888888

 

Saphir tumbled to the ground when he left the Time corridor, coming to rest beneath a massive oak tree in the center of a green field.

 

“A park,” he breathed. His hand brushed a few wildflowers. “It’s beautiful.” 

 

Sharp pain lanced through his left side as his injuries burned and he groaned, falling over. For a moment he saw himself and Demando as boys, looking at the one flower Nemesis had. Demando had promised that someday he’d be able to go to Earth and see real flowers. His vision went grey, then utterly dark. 

 

“Nii-san…” he whispered as he passed out.

 

888888888

 

“Saphir-sama…” Saphir stirred fitfully, unwilling to wake. His body hurt less if he didn’t move. As his awareness returned, he could feel bandages on his chest and head. “Saphir-sama?”

 

Slowly the young man opened his eyes. “Petz?” he realized.

 

“You’re awake. We’ve been worried.” The eldest Spectre sister sat by the bed. “This is my and my sisters’ apartment. We moved here after Sailor Moon saved us.”

 

It was plain, he thought, but so full of light. A glass door led to a balcony and there was a large window nearby. In a way it was lovelier than any home he’d ever seen before. His jacket and shirt hung on a nail next to the door.

 

“What happened?” Saphir asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Petz answered. “I was walking in the park and you were under a tree. It seemed like you’d been attacked, so I thought it would be best to bring you here.”

 

“It was Wiseman. He wants to hurt nii-san. I have to warn him.”

 

“Prince Demando is here?”

 

He nodded, trying to sit up. “Yes.”

 

“Saphir-sama, you can’t go anywhere like this!” Petz cried, pushing him down. “Your wounds still aren’t healed.”

 

“The Senshi…” Saphir realized. “Have they returned? They could warn my brother. Or Veneti and Aquatici.”

 

She shook her head. “I haven’t seen your droids, Saphir-sama, and I don’t know if the Sailor Senshi are back yet.”

 

“Then I have to tell Demando what happened.”

 

Petz threw her arms around him. “No! Wiseman will kill you! I realized a lot after we were freed by Sailor Moon,” she explained, voice muffled. “If he finds you, you won’t stand a chance. He won’t let you ruin his plans.”

 

“I escaped him once already.” Saphir set his hands on her shoulders. “I cannot abandon my brother. He is all I have left. He has to be warned that Wiseman is an enemy.”

 

“We could wait for the Senshi to return, or for your droids to find you. We could go.”

 

“Wiseman would destroy Veneti and Aquatici without a second thought, and nii-san will not believe the Senshi. You and your sisters are seen as traitors.” She stiffened, but he pressed on. “By our laws, you would be killed. He will only listen to me.”

 

“He would listen to Sailor Moon,” she whispered. “She could reach him.”

 

“I would not ask her to. I love my brother, but I do not approve of what he did to her. No, it is best if Sailor Moon is kept away from him.”

 

Calaveras rapped on the door before stepping in. “Onee-sama, we just heard from Sailor Mercury. They returned last night and everyone is in good health.”

 

“Did you tell them Saphir-sama was here?” Petz asked. 

 

“I didn’t want to say without knowing why. By the way, Esmeraude is still alive; Sailor Moon saved her like she did us.”

 

“Esmeraude is?” Saphir repeated in shock. “We saw her die.”

 

Calaveras shook her head. “I don’t know the details, but Mercury says she’s doing well and remains in the safety of the Crystal Palace.”

 

“Excellent news,” Petz said with a smile. “Anything else?”

 

The younger woman’s face fell. “Yes. The Rabbit has fallen under Wiseman’s control.”

 

Saphir nodded. “She is called Black Lady now. I suspect she is very powerful.” He eased into a seated position and this time his caretaker did nothing to stop him. 

 

“What do we do?” Calaveras asked her elder sister. “We have no power to fight them. What if they decide to punish us?”

 

“I don’t think we have to worry about that,” Petz answered. “Saphir-sama?”

 

He shrugged. “Nii-san seems to have forgotten that you are gone, and Wiseman is not concerned with you. I do not think you know enough to be a threat to him.”

 

“And you?” Calaveras demanded. 

 

“I will do nothing to you,” Saphir replied simply. “I know you are better off. Besides, I am now Wiseman’s enemy. I do not have the authority to act against you. Petz, please help me up. I have to get to my brother.” 

 

She assisted but could not silence her protests. “It’s too soon for you to be out of bed. You should rest; Wiseman will not fight Demando-sama yet.”

 

“Perhaps, but he will declare me a traitor. My brother may not listen to me then.”

 

“At least call the Senshi,” she pleaded. “You can’t go alone.”

 

Saphir relented. “I suppose I must. I do not have the strength to fight now.”

 

Calaveras slipped out of the room, rejoining Berthier and Koan. “What did they say?” Koan asked. “Is Saphir here for us?”

 

Calaveras shook her head. “He’s here for Demando-sama.”

 

“Can we trust him?” Berthier wondered. “He’s injured and needs our help right now, but what about when he’s healed? Will he still not care we’re traitors?”

 

Their elder sister frowned. “He would never hurt Petz-onee-sama.”

 

“Why would he not want to hurt her?” Koan asked. 

 

“You didn’t know?” Calaveras said. “Petz and Saphir-sama were together once.”

 

The door opened again and Petz and Saphir stepped out. He had his shirt and shoes on, jacket draped over one arm. The other was on Petz’s shoulders as she supported him. She began to help him put it on, but he stopped her.

 

“Keep it,” he directed quietly. “I will come back for it after this is resolved. Berthier, please call the Senshi. I would like them to join me.”

 

“Certainly,” she responded. “Where would you like them to meet you?”

 

“The park you found me in is not too far from the Black Crystal my brother is growing, is it?” he asked Petz. She nodded. “That place would suffice.”

 

“Should you go alone?” Koan questioned. “You…”

 

“I am still very weak, but I can walk a short distance. I know the way.”

 

He was quiet and distanced, giving no hint that his chances of returning alive were low. He knew Wiseman had arrived and would not hesitate to kill him before Saphir could warn Demando. Sighing, he brushed those fears aside. 

 

“I’ll just call Mercury,” Berthier murmured before walking to the phone. Lifting it, she dialed a number and waited. “Ah, Ami-san? Berthier. Can the Senshi meet in the park near our apartment? It’s important.” There was a pause as the icy Senshi replied. “I know it’s close to the Black Crystal. Saphir-sama needs to reach his brother, but he’s afraid Wiseman will kill him before he gets a chance.” She offered Saphir the handset silently after Ami answered. 

 

The young man accepted it. “Yes?”

 

“Saphir? Prince Demando’s little brother?” Ami questioned.

 

“Yes. I am not here to harm you or your friends if that is what you are afraid of. I need to warn my brother about something, but after that I have information you might find useful.”

 

“Sailor Moon says we can trust you and I believe her, but this sounds like a trap.”

 

“If you choose not to come, I will understand. I would not ask except that I have the best chance of reaching my brother alive if I do not go alone, and Petz and her sisters no longer have the power to fight. I am wounded, so my own abilities are severely handicapped.”

 

She didn’t say anything for several beats, but finally she sighed. “We’ll be there. Be careful; if Black Lady senses you, she’ll kill you. She’s entirely Wiseman’s creature, and he’ll have told her you’re an enemy.”

 

Saphir closed his eyes. “You have encountered her then. I am sorry I did not discover her in time to foil Wiseman’s plot; please tell Sailor Moon that.”

 

His words seemed to reassure her. “I will. Be careful, Saphir. We’ll be there soon.”

 

She hung up, and Saphir set the phone in its base as well. “They will meet me.”

 

“One of us could accompany you,” Petz offered.

 

He shook his head. “My brother or Wiseman would know you, and I think Black Lady would as well. You would only be killed. It is best if I go alone.”

 

“I don’t know if you can make it without help,” Berthier contributed. “I bandaged your injuries, Saphir-sama; I’ve seen the damage. A head injury is nothing to trifle with.”

 

“I am aware of the dangers, but I have no other choice. I appreciate the concern.”

 

“Saphir-sama…”

 

“I will come back, Petz.” He straightened. “I have to.”

 

88888888

 

The trip was hard. His entire body trembled with exertion, and his head throbbed every time he took a step. Pained tears blurred his greying vision, so Saphir depended on his sense of the massive Black Crystal to direct him and prayed he wouldn’t run into anything before he reached the Senshi. Fortune was not on his side. 

 

Black Lady appeared, floating with one hand beneath her chin. “So you came here on your own. You’ve saved me the trouble of looking for you.”

 

“Out of my way, Black Lady!” he barked, though he didn’t really expect her to obey. “My business is with my brother!”

 

She shrugged. “Oh, really? But you’re going to die now.” She grabbed Luna-P and prepared to throw it as he braced himself.

 

“Hold it right there!” Sailor Moon shouted. “You can’t hurt that man, Chibiusa!”

 

“Sailor Moon…” Saphir whispered. The Moon Senshi gestured and Mars and Jupiter took up defensive positions in front of him. “You came.”

 

“You asked us to help you,” Jupiter responded, “And you said you were sorry for what happened to Chibiusa-chan.”

 

“If this is a trap, it’s a brilliant one,” Mars added. 

 

“You’re being manipulated!” Sailor Moon shouted. “Why can’t you see that?!”

 

“You’re mistaken; I’m acting of my own will!” Black Lady answered.

 

“Please snap out of it!” she begged. Saphir could see the pain in her eyes. That she was willing to stand against Black Lady through it only increased his respect for her.

 

“Enough!” their opponent yelled. “Luna-P! Change!”

 

A small magnifying glass marked with the black crescent appeared in her hand. Holding it before the Black Crystal, an energy bolt condensed and fired at the Senshi. Mercury pulled Sailor Moon out of the way as Venus went on the offensive.

 

“CRESCENT BEAM!” 

 

“Not good enough!” Their attacks collided and Venus screamed as it threw her back. 

 

“SHABON SPRAY!” A blanket of Mercury’s fog filled the air and Black Lady cringed as its cold touched her. 

 

“This is your chance, Saphir!” Mars called. “Get to your brother and explain!”

 

Black Lady scoffed. “Do you think you can stop me with this?” Her glass vanished, replaced with a huge fan. She swept away Mercury’s Spray in one easy motion. 

 

“Chibiusa, go back to your old self!” Sailor Moon called. Her Silver Crystal appeared in her hands, already shining. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER!”

 

The fan became the umbrella Black Lady had used before, the crystal’s power breaking to either side. Luna-P turned to a badminton racquet and birdie. She hit it at them. 

 

The leader of the Senshi reacted at once. “VENUS LOVE-ME…”

 

The birdie stopped and spread open in midair, and everyone paused. Venus didn’t finish her attack, not sure of what to expect. It formed an energy dome around her, Mercury, and Sailor Moon. They screamed as its magic tore into them. “Everyone!” Mars and Jupiter said, moving toward their beleaguered comrades before remembering Saphir.

 

He shook his head. “Help your friends.”

 

“But…” Mars hesitated. 

 

“Do not worry about me. I found the person I need to talk to.” In the midst of the chaos Demando had appeared, hovering behind Black Lady. His gaze met his brother’s. “Now hurry!”

 

Jupiter nodded. “Okay.”

 

“Saphir…” The younger man stepped forward, not willing to act weak in front of his brother. Instead he stood proudly and waited. “Saphir, why did you betray us?”

 

“I did not betray you!” he argued. “Nii-san, we have been deceived by Wiseman!”

 

Black Lady took advantage of their distraction to imprison the last two Senshi. 

 

“What sort of idiocy is this?!” Demando demanded. “Saphir, anyone who gets in the way of this operation, even you…”

 

“Nii-san! This operation may be a huge mistake. This is not what we were trying to do!” He gestured to the Senshi on the ground. Sailor Moon looked up at him. “We are being used! Nii-san!” Demando paused, his gaze touching the Moon Senshi’s before returning to his brother. 

 

“You’re such a noisy man,” Black Lady sneered, turning. “Die.” She lifted another birdie but it was knocked from her hand as the domes were destroyed, freeing the trapped Senshi. Tuxedo Kamen and Kunzite had arrived. “This rose!”

 

“Stop, Chibiusa-chan,” the hero said calmly. “Demando, listen to what Saphir has to say. Hear what your little brother saw in the future.”

 

Though Demando resented being ordered around by his rival, he obeyed nonetheless. His brother deserved that much. “Saphir, what happened?”

 

“Nii-san,” he whispered in surprised relief, but his eyes widened in horror. An attack flew from behind Demando and crashed into the injured man. He threw up his arms to shield his head, screaming. When it ended, he sank to his knees, trembling violently. The pavement around him was completely destroyed. 

 

“Saphir!” Demando cried, frightened. He faced the culprit. “Wiseman!”

 

“Traitor Saphir, there is no need to trouble the prince with your execution.”

 

“Nii-san,” Saphir gasped. “Wiseman means to erase the future! His goal is…”

 

Wiseman was about to attack again and Sailor Moon reacted while all eyes were on the princes. The Silver Crystal flared and a shield settled over Saphir, invisible to anyone but her. She prepared the crystal for one more thing. 

 

“Die!”

 

“Wait, Wiseman!”

 

The order was disregarded and the bolt flew, catching Demando at the edges. It wasn’t enough to harm him, but it would destroy the already wounded Saphir. Sailor Moon was ready. Her shield absorbed the attack, took its energy, and used it for the next part of her impromptu plan. The illusion-Saphir screamed as the real one hovered on the edge of consciousness.

 

“Saphir!” she cried for form. Her Senshi gasped. 

 

“Nii… san…” Illusion-Saphir whispered, collapsing. Smoke curled around him, and his shirt was blackened. 

 

“SAPHIR!” Demando screamed. 

 

The control chip rose and settled into Wiseman’s hand. “Foolish Saphir, deceived by the Sailor Senshi and speaking such nonsense. Black Lady and Demando, we will settle our fight with these girls another time.” Demando rounded on him, but he vanished. 

 

Black Lady sneered. “Understood.” She disappeared too, following her master.

 

Tuxedo Kamen held the still form and sensed life. Looking at his girlfriend, he realized what must have happened. 

 

“Saphir…” she whispered, stepping over to his side. 

 

“I wasn’t able to protect him,” he apologized

 

“Petz, I’m sorry,” Saphir whispered. Sailor Moon, gazing through the protective barrier of her illusion, watched as his eyes closed. She’d bought him time, but whether he would survive was hard to say. His head bandage fell away and the black insignia of his clan disappeared. 

 

“Saphir! No, you can’t die!” she cried as the Senshi looked away. “Saphir!” Demando came to the ground and approached his brother’s body. Tuxedo Kamen tensed but otherwise didn’t react. Sailor Moon leapt to her feet. “Don’t touch him,” she hissed. 

 

The white prince paused, uncertain. “Serenity,” he began, but she cut him off. 

 

“No! Leave him alone! He’s suffered enough for you!”

 

“I just want to take him home.”

 

Sailor Moon shook her head. “He’ll stay here! He was loved here, and there’ll be flowers and grass and sunlight on his grave. He deserves that! Jupiter!” Jupiter ran to her princess’ side. “Take him to Petz. Now!” Stunned by her behavior, the stormy Senshi nodded nonetheless, lifting Saphir and running off. 

 

Demando watched without moving, tears in his eyes. “Why?”

 

“Because here I know someone loves him,” she answered. “He won’t be used anymore.”

 

He could have gone after Jupiter easily enough; they all knew it. Instead he inclined his head and disappeared as his tears fell. Sailor Moon’s knees hit the ground as she gasped, energy dancing across her skin as she pulled her power back. Tuxedo Kamen was there at once. 

 

“He’s alive for now but we have to help him,” she babbled. 

 

“I know,” he soothed. “Still, you could’ve hurt yourself. You have to be careful, Sailor Moon. You shouldn’t use the crystal so often.”

 

“Saphir couldn’t – I wasn’t –”

 

Tuxedo Kamen sighed and looked at the others. Kunzite was hovering at Venus’ back. “Take them to Petz. Jupiter will be there already, and she’ll want to know what’s going on.”

 

“You and Sailor Moon?” Kunzite asked.

 

“We’ll be right behind you.” The general took Venus’ hand as she reached for the others. Tuxedo Kamen turned back to the trembling Sailor Moon. “Usako, it’s okay. He’s alive.”

 

“Demando wanted… and I…” She looked like she was going to be sick with guilt.

 

“You did what you had to do.” He picked her up and leapt onto the nearest building. “Saphir is the one we have to focus on now.”

 

The rest of the trip was passed in silence, and they landed on Petz’s balcony in seconds. The others were clustered around the bed as Mercury worked to save Saphir’s life. Kunzite was nowhere to be seen, but Petz and her sisters stood in the doorway. Sailor Moon noticed the eldest holding a familiar blue jacket against her chest. 

 

“How is he?” she asked Mercury.

 

“It doesn’t look good; Wiseman did a lot of damage and he was already injured when we got to him. I don’t know what else I can do.”

 

Sailor Moon looked at her boyfriend. “Mamo-chan? Can you save him?”

 

“I can try.” Mercury fell back as he pulled off his gloves and set his hands against the head wound. “The dark magic in his injuries is resisting me.”

 

“Can you work around it?” Berthier asked. 

 

He shrugged. “Maybe. Mercury, let’s try together. Sailor Moon, do you think you have enough energy left to pull out the negative power?”

 

She shook her head, looking desperate. “I don’t think so.”

 

Mars stepped up. “One of my charms should be able to get rid of it. After all, it’s not him we have to purify.”

 

“Then do it. It can’t hurt.” She pulled out the paper and focused. The ofuda flew from her fingers and pressed against his forehead before flaring. Tuxedo Kamen blinked. “It’s gone.”

 

“Work fast,” Mercury reminded. “We’re losing him.” The healers bent over the patient, but their expressions were grim and edged toward panic as the minutes passed. Mercury cursed. “Jupiter! His heart stopped!”

 

The Amazonian Senshi didn’t hesitate. Her hand splayed on his chest. “SUPREME THUNDER!” A jolt ran through his still form, but there was no response.

 

“One more,” Tuxedo Kamen ordered.

 

A second burst surged into his heart, and it kept beating on its own. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. “Be ready to do it again,” Mercury warned. 

 

“Everyone, wait outside,” Tuxedo Kamen said. “This will take a while. If someone sees Kunzite, could you send him in? I’m running out of energy.”

 

Venus nodded and headed out, the others slowly following. Petz trembled as she sank down on the couch, the jacket still in her arms. 

 

“Petz…” Sailor Moon began. “What happened?”

 

“I found him in the park,” she whispered. “He was hurt, so I brought him here. Wiseman had attacked him, and he had to warn Demando-sama. Berthier called you and he left. A few moments before Jupiter brought him in, I felt something. Like I’d been hurt, but I was fine. His jacket fell; I thought he was dead. Now he might die after all.”

 

“You can’t give up,” the Moon Senshi urged. “He managed the hardest part by himself. We’re doing everything we can.”

 

Venus walked into the room. “Kunzite went to help Tuxedo Kamen-sama. He says he’ll tell me if anything happens.”

 

“I guess all we can do now is wait,” Mars said.

 

88888888

 

When everyone emerged from Saphir’s room, Sailor Moon was sleeping with her head in Berthier’s lap. Venus and Calaveras were doing something in the kitchen while Mars and Koan spoke softly. Petz stood on the balcony staring out over the city. Berthier shook the Moon Senshi awake as they came in.

 

“Well?” she asked. “Did Saphir make it?”

 

“It was close, but yes,” Mercury answered. “If he lives through the night, he’ll survive.”

 

“But we’re not sure,” Jupiter continued. “His heart stopped twice after you left.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen faded, too exhausted to sustain his powered form. Mamoru dropped by Sailor Moon. “I had to hold him for three minutes before we could pull him back.”

 

Venus touched Kunzite’s shoulder, seeing the pallor under his tan. “You’re tapped out. Sweet goddess, Kunzite, how much energy did you use?”

 

He turned his head just enough to see her. “I did what had to be done.”

 

She sighed. “You need to turn in. Everyone, go home. We’ll meet again tomorrow to see what happens. Berthier, you can watch Saphir, right?”

 

Berthier nodded. “I’ll contact Mercury if he worsens. Is that all right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Sailor Moon looked at everyone’s tired faces, noticing that Petz had returned to Saphir’s side. “We all need rest. Why don’t we come back tomorrow after lunch?”

 

“After lunch?” Mars repeated. “Why?”

 

“I intend to sleep till noon then eat like a piglet, that’s why,” her best friend retorted. “Anything you want to add?”

 

“Nothing I haven’t said before. After lunch it is.” She helped the stormy Senshi to her feet – she’d sat on the ground as soon as she entered the room. “I’ll get you home, Jupiter. Mercury, you too. I don’t think either of you should be alone.”

 

They leapt off the balcony and headed for Jupiter’s apartment first, since it was closer. Sailor Moon released her transformation with relish. “Let’s walk, Mamo-chan. I don’t think you have the energy to jump over rooftops.” 

 

The couple hurried out, leaving Venus and Kunzite in the Spectre sisters’ apartment. The blonde tugged on his hand. “Kunzite, come on. Let’s get you home.”

 

“Will you stay tonight? Please.”

 

Venus shrugged. “Sure, if you need me. Mom and Dad won’t notice, and Artemis is with Luna tonight. Change back. You can’t walk around like that.”

 

He looked at his outfit blankly. “We can teleport.”

 

“I don’t think you could manage it now. We’ll get a cab.”

 

His uniform vanished, replaced with a neat black suit. His skin, without the bronze cast that usually concealed his exhaustion, was bone pale, eyes shadowed. He stumbled for a moment before righting himself. She powered down as well, leading him out. The building’s doorman called a cab for them and she had to nudge him forward before he got in. 

 

“Keiji, talk to me,” Minako pressed. “What’s wrong?”

 

He shook his head, gaze not shifting from the window. He silently overpaid the driver as they got out and walked to his front door, Mina hurrying after him. His civilian form shifted again, returning to his natural appearance. 

 

“Kunzite,” she called after him. “Please. Tell me what’s going on.”

 

“Will you stay?” he asked as they reached his room. “No matter what?”

 

Minako frowned, puzzled. “Of course. I’d stay with you through anything.”

 

Kunzite nodded. “Thank you, Mina. I need to sleep now.” He moved momentarily to his bathroom to don sleepwear before lying down. Uncertain, she decided her school uniform could stand being slept in and sprawled at his side, letting herself drift off.

 

She woke to hoarse shouts, thrashing and heart-rending pleas. Minako managed to duck before she was hit, but he was crying and she had to do something. “Is this why you wanted me here?” she asked as she worked to control his flailing limbs. Once she wasn’t in danger of being punched or kicked, she studied his tortured expression. “Kunzite, wake up. Whatever you’re seeing is a dream; it can’t hurt you. I’m here. You’re all right.”

 

It went on in a similar vein. He struggled against her, but she held on and kept talking, trying to ignore his desperate pleas to let him die, to spare her, to spare the other generals. At first, her own weariness kept her from realizing what he was saying, but it suddenly made sense. He was dreaming of the end of the Silver Millennium, tortured by his greatest failure. 

 

“Venus,” he wept. “No, Venus. I did not – I could not control it – I am so sorry. My body is not my own. Do not die. Do not leave me.” He inhaled a violent breath, and she thought of the sword in his gut, her parting gift to him as their world collapsed. “Together, then. In death rather than life. Thank you.”

 

Minako bent and kissed him, their lips meshed together until his arms slipped free and wrapped around her and he was kissing her back. He broke the embrace with a half sob, eyes still filled with tears and one hand fisted in her golden hair. 

 

“Talk to me,” she whispered. “Why did you have that nightmare?”

 

He waited a long beat before responding. “On nights like this, when my strength is gone, it comes back. I see Beryl destroying my men and I, setting us to kill you. There is no choice but to watch as my blade ends your life and yours takes mine.”

 

“The energy drain,” Minako realized. “You’re too tired to fight the dreams off. Has this sort of thing happened before?”

 

“Yes. As a boy I often woke up crying, saying things my mother did not understand, and calling for Venus – for you. This is why I have always remembered.” He brushed away the tears with his free hand. “It is easier when you are here.” 

 

“Kunzite, why didn’t you tell me before?”

 

He gently pushed her to one side and sat up, gazing out the large window. “I do not often admit to weakness. You know that.”

 

“Then why now?” she pressed. “You’ve been back for months. Why did you decide to let me in so suddenly?”

 

Kunzite faced her again. “I do not know why I chose tonight. There was only a need I could not ignore. Maybe it was seeing how Usagi-sama needs Mamoru-sama, or the way Petz waited as we fought for Prince Saphir’s life. I have no explanation, Mina, but this sort of constant horror is what you are getting yourself into if we stay together.”

 

“Are you trying to break up with me?”

 

He looked stricken. “No. I wish I could be so strong, but I no longer have it in me to push you away. You own my heart, my very soul, even though you deserve so much better.”

 

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.” She stood and ran her hands through his pale hair. “It’s all right if you don’t know why you have the dreams. Just tell me whatever you want.”

 

He sighed before he told her about his human past for the first time. 

 

“I was my parents’ second son. My brother Akio was the golden child. I was… different. Tormented by dreams, I felt little kinship to normal people. They knew, as only parents could, that I was losing the part of me that was theirs, that Kunzite was destroying Keiji. 

 

“I was twenty when I first came to Tokyo; before that I lived in Hokkaido. I saw you and knew you at once. You were in a park with a number of other children, but there was no denying that you were the Venus of my dreams. Business kept me here, and I watched over you as best I could. I saw how little love you received from your family, how there was a  _ difference _ keeping you apart from the world. I did not think you were lonely, precisely, but you never truly devoted yourself to anyone or anything.

 

“My brother became ill – late stage leukemia. Treatments were ineffective, and a month after his diagnosis he passed away. My parents followed; they had been elderly when I was born, and the loss of their favorite destroyed them. They died in their sleep within a week of my brother. It was the first time in years I felt anything for them.”

 

“Did Beryl come for you then?” Minako asked. “When you were alone and vulnerable?”

 

Kunzite nodded. “Their funerals had been that morning. I was in the house going through their belongings and she appeared. I knew her, of course. She had haunted me all my life. Seeing her in my human world… I froze. I could not move; I could not speak. Beryl smiled as a snake might when its prey has nowhere to go. I knew she would already have found the others. She could not overcome me without stealing their support first.”

 

“So what happened?”

 

“My fear and memories reawakened my magic and I fought, but I was no match for her. She carried me to D-Point and worked to turn me. I resisted, but without bonds holding me to you or to Endymion and the others, there was little I could do.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” she consoled. “You tried, and that’s what matters.”

 

Kunzite pulled her close, face pressed into her throat. “I know. I still blame myself.”

 

“We’ll find a way to bring back the other Shitennou back if they don’t reincarnate on their own,” she continued. “Usagi-chan said she would, and I believe her. Everyone will be together again, and what happened in the Silver Millennium won’t matter.”

 

Kunzite closed his eyes, still holding her close. “Thank you, Mina.”

 

She smiled. “I promised I’d be with you forever, and I will.”

 

“Forever,” he echoed before kissing her again. 

 

88888888

 

_ “I’m going into the Black Crystal. Kunzite will come with me. We’ll look around and try to find Chibiusa. If we’re not back in three days, come after us.” _

 

Usagi argued. They all did. Mamoru was weak from healing Saphir, the two of them lacked the strength of a complete group, Usagi couldn’t lose him… It didn’t matter. He was the one most capable of avoiding detection and he’d included Kunzite knowing the Shitennou would be able to get them out if it got too dangerous. 

 

The three days were up.

 

Usagi looked out at the Black Crystal, growing by the second. A large portion of the surrounding area had been consumed by it, and the thing encompassed several blocks. It was time for them to act. 

 

Saphir had awakened a day after Mamoru left, sharing what he’d learned. Ami found his droids, and they explained a lot of the unknowns in the war. Wiseman served a being called the Death Phantom. To the Senshi, that was pivotal. They weren’t in danger of being conquered; they were risking annihilation. It made a previously personal battle much more important.

 

“Time to go,” she said to the wind. Turning, she ran. With a citywide evacuation order in place, Tokyo was all but deserted. She and the Senshi would be able to work freely. The few remaining stragglers should be far enough away to avoid trouble. 

 

“Usagi?”

 

The blonde drew up short. “Naru-chan!”

 

“Has something happened?”

 

“What?” she asked, baffled. Everyone knew what had happened.

 

“You’ve been acting strange lately,” Naru observed. “Does it have something to do with that eerie crystal?” Usagi gasped, and the other girl nodded. “I knew it. You know what that thing is, don’t you? Usagi, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know, okay?”

 

“Naru-chan…” The blonde laughed, forcing her cheerful façade into view. “Oh, come on! How could I know anything about that?”

 

Naru blinked. “You’re right. Everyone has things they can’t talk about.” The other girl took her friend’s hand. “I won’t ask any more questions. Let’s see each other at school, okay?”

 

“Thanks. See you.” The blonde resumed her sprint, face turned to hide her guilt.

 

“Promise, okay?!” Naru called before folding her hands in prayer. “God, if you’re there, please listen to what I have to say. Please protect Usagi-chan and her friends!”

 

Usagi gave no sign she’d heard the words, but her guilt grew. Naru suspected what she was. She’d made her friend worry. The Senshi in her pushed it aside as she joined her sisters. It wasn’t time for regrets. She had to believe it would work out. If she didn’t, how could she fight?

 

88888888

 

Demando observed the Evil Black Crystal’s reactor. Wiseman appeared behind him. “It is time,” the advisor announced in sepulchral tones. 

 

The prince pivoted, temper rapidly taking over. “Wiseman, how dare you appear before me like nothing happened? Why did you ignore my orders and kill Saphir?!”

 

“We worked hard to alter Earth’s history. Any who betray that ideal must be eliminated.”

 

Demando’s power flared. “You have no authority to decide that.”

 

“Behold this Black Crystal. Black Lady’s power is approaching its culmination and now we are ready for our revenge on the Earth.”

 

For a brief moment, the prince realized Wiseman had no reason to want revenge, but it faded as he gazed at the crystal orb in the magician’s hands. “Our desire…” His jaw tightened as the thought returned. “I will not be fooled by such talk. Answer me! Why did you kill Saphir?!”

 

“Prince, the death of your younger brother is a trifling thing before the greater good.”

 

“Is that your true nature?!” Demando snapped, one hand fisting at his side. 

 

“Prince, have you forgotten the reason the Black Moon Clan came to cold Nemesis?” A skull flickered inside the hood. “Your lifelong dream to take the Earth is coming to fruition. Will you obsess over one sacrifice and let this opportunity slip by?”

 

“It is true taking our revenge and emigrating has long been our clan’s desire. Continue with the operation for now. But do not forget, Wiseman. I have not forgiven you. When I have my revenge, I will conduct a thorough investigation into this.” He walked away. “Be ready.”

 

“As it pleases you,” Wiseman replied, continuing when Demando was gone. “Of course, prince, that is only if you still have your life.” He laughed, unaware that he’d been heard – not by the prince of Nemesis, but by the prince of Earth. 

 

88888888

 

They clustered at the base of the Black Crystal.  “We have to do something or it’ll devour the entire city,” Makoto said quietly. “People will die.”

 

“They already have,” Ami countered, expression grim. “When it first appeared, more than a hundred people were in the nearby buildings. There was no time to get away.”

 

“Do we know they’re dead?” Rei asked.

 

She shook her head. “No, but even if they survived they’re trapped in the crystal. I don’t know how long a human could stand it.”

 

Usagi looked up at it. “Probably not for very long. And who knows what it would do to them if they did?”

 

“I’m worried about Tuxedo Kamen-sama,” said Luna. “We haven’t heard anything since he and Kunzite left.”

 

The blonde nodded. “If they’re alive, they at least should’ve tried to contact us by now.”

 

“It’s our turn,” Minako stated. “We need to find them, and Chibiusa-chan.”

 

“She’ll be in the center of it,” Rei observed.

 

“Demando’s here too,” Makoto commented. “Usagi-chan, it’ll be dangerous.”

 

She forced herself to laugh. “Dangerous? He won’t try to kill me, so it’s nowhere near as bad as Beryl.” The others knew she was trying to stay positive, so they didn’t comment. 

 

“There’s a barrier around the crystal,” Rei said. “It will hurt if you touch it.”

 

“Would Kunzite have had a hard time getting through?” Minako asked.

 

Usagi shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. His teleportation is stronger than ours, even together. Let’s go,” she decided finally. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER!”

 

“Wait!” Ami interrupted. “First, I want to say that I would’ve liked to be able to spend time with everyone again. You know… just in case.”

 

Minako nodded, understanding. They hadn’t had a ‘just-in-case’ discussion the last time, and they’d regretted so much. “We’ll still be together.”

 

“When it’s over, let’s go to Crown and go all out,” Makoto suggested. “Nothing cheap. It should be all-you-can-eat!”

 

Rei smiled. “Just like old times.” They all knew their lives had been consumed by Senshi business. That was who they were, and the girls they’d been were vanishing.

 

“I’m in,” Usagi laughed. “I’ll eat it all!”

 

“You’ll gain weight,” Minako teased.

 

“You’re mean,” she answered, sticking out her tongue. Everyone laughed before they focused. There was no time left. The Senshi had to act before things got any worse. “Let’s go,” Usagi said. “MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!” The other girls did the same, and the Senshi faced the Black Crystal together. “Everyone, lend me your power!” Sailor Moon called. They all began to glow gently before their lights got stronger. “SAILOR TELEPORT!”

 

88888888

 

“It seems to be some sort of labyrinth,” Mars observed as they stood in a nook of the omnipresent black crystal. 

 

“We should check it out,” Sailor Moon said. “Let’s go this way.”

 

“Be careful!” Mercury warned.

 

It was too late. She wasn’t surprised when the ground swallowed her, though she still screamed as she slid down the chute. The others called after her as the opening sealed. She landed in an empty chamber somewhere under the maze, waiting for Demando to appear. She’d known long before entering the structure that she’d have to face him again.

 

As expected, she soon heard his voice. “I see you have returned, Serenity.”

 

Sailor Moon looked, but once she saw him he teleported above and behind her, then again in front of her. Grasping her arms, the dark moon on his forehead became a vertical amber third eye that seemed to stare into her soul. She recognized it as a hypnosis tool, so Sailor Moon clamped her eyes shut and turned her head. 

 

“Look into my eye,” he commanded. 

 

Forcing herself not to, she asked a question. “Why didn’t you do this before?”

 

“I wanted you to stay with your free will intact. Now that I know you will not do so, I have no other recourse.”

 

“You trapped me!”

 

Demando shook her hard enough to make her eyes open. “Sailor Moon, look into my eye.” She fought, but he was strong while the Black Crystal weakened her. Her mind went blank, only his voice ringing clear. “Say you are mine,” the prince ordered. “Your love, your allegiance, your life – say these things are all mine.”

 

Love? An image of Mamoru slipped into her brain and she gasped. For the brief instant that his control wavered, desperate words poured from her lips. 

 

“Saphir is alive.”

 

Demando froze. “What did you say?”

 

Shock lessened the impact of his magic and Sailor Moon regained her control. “Your brother’s alive,” she said breathlessly. “Wiseman didn’t kill him.”

 

“Impossible.”

 

“He lived,” she insisted. “You saw an illusion I created to protect him. I had to make sure Wiseman didn’t know. He’s here, in Tokyo.”

 

“You are lying.” The third eye closed. “Why would you claim such a thing? Do you think I have not suffered enough over the loss of my brother?”

 

“I can prove it,” Sailor Moon said quietly. “You promised Saphir flowers when you were kids. That’s why you’re trying to move your clan to Earth. You wanted to show him flowers.”

 

He released her and stepped back. “You cannot possibly know of that.”

 

“Saphir loves you. He’s no traitor. Why won’t you believe me?” she asked. 

 

Demando closed his eyes. He  _ did _ believe her. Despite everything – the horrible life he’d known on Nemesis, the trust he never felt – he believed what she was saying. When she insisted so passionately Saphir was alive and hadn’t betrayed him, he knew she was telling the truth. 

 

“Do not be swayed by the words of the enemy.”

 

The prince turned. “Wiseman!”

 

“Prince, the time has come to complete your mission. You will be able to lead our clan to the beautiful Earth for a better life.”

 

“Don’t listen to him!” Sailor Moon shouted. “He’s trying to control you!”

 

“You have been a problem for far too long, Sailor Moon,” the magician decided. “I will begin by destroying you!”

 

That broke Demando’s confusion. Wiseman meant to kill his beautiful girl, the only person other than his brother who brought light to his lonely world. He’d been used. Wiseman’s control shattered as the prince’s power flared. The brightness of him drew their attention. 

 

The third eye on his forehead glowed. “You are the traitor here, Wiseman. You do not seek to aid us or you would not threaten the one who might be able to save our clan.”

 

“If you are fooled by a mere slip of a girl, you are of no further use to me. Black Lady is mine, and her power grows. Soon we will open the Black Gate and send the Earth into darkness.”

 

Demando glared. “So you show your true colors at last.”

 

An energy bolt, identical to the one meant to kill Saphir, flew from Wiseman’s hands. Demando threw his arms in front of his face as his own power lashed out, absorbing the strike’s impact. Wiseman teleported before he could hit back, but Demando followed. Their magic collided mid-air. The prince looked for an advantageous position, but the magician mirrored him. Again and again, they moved only to reach an impasse. After many such maneuvers, Wiseman vanished and didn’t reappear. Demando paused in confusion, and everything seemed to slow.

 

_ Do you love her? _

 

Of course, he thought. She is the light when all I have known is darkness. 

 

_ Would you die to save her? _

 

Would he what? Demando pivoted sharply as Wiseman revealed himself, firing at her unprotected back. There was no time. He teleported between them. The attack stabbed deep as she cried out, blades of dark energy tearing into his abdomen. Somehow, miraculously, he was still alive. He’d fallen against Sailor Moon when he was hit, but he pushed himself up again. 

 

“Do not underestimate me,” Demando hissed as he got to his feet. 

 

Wiseman was startled in that crucial moment – his attack hadn’t hit the Moon Senshi, and it hadn’t killed the white prince. Demando turned it to his advantage. His power blazed, not with darkness, but with the light that was his ancient heritage as a descendant of the Lunar race. The beam tore through the energy around the Evil Black Crystal’s master and decimated his body. Wiseman screamed as his decrepit form shattered. His cloak and orb fell. Demando crumpled.

 

Sailor Moon hurried over and lifted him so he could rest against her. “Hold on!” she ordered, looking over the injury. “You have to hold on. You’ll be okay.”

 

“Why are you crying?” he asked, managing to brush one hand against her cheek. Tears sparkled on her lashes. “You have no reason to weep. You must hate me so.”

 

“I don’t hate you,” she said, shaking her head. “I never did. Don’t die. Please… I can’t bear it if anyone else dies because I was weak… Because they loved me…”

 

“You are so strong,” Demando whispered. “I only wanted to move to Earth with my clan to have a happy life. I never wanted this. I never wanted you to be hurt.”

 

“You stopped him,” Sailor Moon murmured. “You saved me. You should be proud. I just need you to stay strong long enough for help to come. Tuxedo Kamen-sama…” Her voice trailed off. “Mercury can heal you. You’ll be all right.”

 

He pressed something into her hand. “Take this. My clan will follow you if you have it. Tell them to stop fighting… Just let them return to Earth.”

 

She looked at the item – a silver signet ring with the inverted moon, a diamond set in the center of its curve. She laughed through her tears and a second ring appeared, all but identical to the first. “Your brother gave me his. What will I do with both?”

 

Demando’s finger traced the sapphire. “He really lives? Give him my ring, Serenity. He will lead the clan now, far better than I ever could.”

 

“He doesn’t want that. He wants you.”

 

He sighed. “I wish I could have given him his dream. When you see him, tell him how sorry I am for not giving him the flowers I promised.”

 

“You can tell him,” she said encouragingly. “Once I free Chibiusa-chan from Wiseman, I’ll take you to him. You’ll be a family again.”

 

“I really… did love you… Serenity.” His eyes slid shut.

 

Her shriek echoed through the entire crystal structure. “No! Don’t die! Selene, please, let me save him!” When the Crystal Star and the black cord of the necklace he’d given her fell into her hands as well, a second cry tore free of her throat. “NO!”

 

She carefully laid him back down. He was alive, but not for long. The heroine got to her feet and pressed the brooch to the bow of her uniform. It settled into place as the Silver Crystal joined with it once more. 

 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know why you love me, but maybe if I’d been able to do the same… If I could’ve loved you like you deserve, maybe you’d be okay. I’ll do what I can for your clan, and I’ll tell your brother you fought for what you believed in. And Esmeraude – I promised I’d save you. She loves you, Demando. I’ll tell her you’re free. I’m so sorry.”

 

Sailor Moon unfastened his cape and folded it into a pad, pressing it to his wound. It came away soaked in blood. She choked back another sob as she pulled a large sheet from her subspace pocket, binding the injury. She hoped it would give him time. When she was satisfied she’d done what little she could, she knelt by him. Her hand slipped into his hair as she pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead.

 

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. The heroine got up again and turned – only to be greeted with hands at her throat. “Wiseman,” she gasped with her little remaining breath. “How?” He laughed, a skull flickering in the shadow of his hood, and she remembered. He was immortal. Without destroying the Evil Black Crystal, he’d only come back… and Demando had died in vain. 

 

“I’ll kill you and cover the world in darkness!” the magician cackled.

 

Sailor Moon closed her eyes and tried to focus on prying his fingers loose. The only thought that flitted through her consciousness was a name.  _ Mamo-chan! _

 

She was released without warning. Staggering, she gasped for breath. Wiseman laughed. “What help is there from the weak prince?” he taunted. “Tuxedo Kamen has fallen under Black Lady’s spell. He is with her forever!”

 

The Moon Senshi glared. “You’re lying!”

 

His orb glowed. In it was an image of Tuxedo Kamen with Black Lady, the femme fatale draped sensually across his form. In the next they were kissing, and Sailor Moon wished she was still being strangled. The physical pain was easier to bear. 

 

_ Please believe in me, Sailor Moon! _

 

“Chibiusa…” she murmured. Logic rushed back and she recoiled. “Don’t try to fool me! They would never betray me that way!”

 

Brainwashed or not, she knew Mamoru would never choose another woman. He’d proven it under Beryl’s control, and he certainly wouldn’t be swayed by their daughter of all people. She almost laughed, realizing Wiseman thought they didn’t know who she was. 

 

“Why?” Wiseman demanded. “Why do you not believe it?”

 

“You can fool my eyes, but not my heart! Demando saw through you in the end and I know what you did to him. I won’t be tricked like he was!”

 

“Then you will die! That foolish man is not going to save you now!”

 

Sailor Moon should’ve reacted. She had the power to ward off the attack, but seeing what had happened to Demando left her numb. The idea of using the Silver Crystal had barely formed when the dark energy flew. A perfect red rose arced through the room and cut it off. Tuxedo Kamen dropped into view nearby, a second flower appearing in his hand as he faced their foe. 

 

“Those who’d fool innocent girls with dark illusions won’t be forgiven!” he snarled. She could see raw anger in his blue eyes. “I’ll be your opponent, Wiseman.”

 

“Don’t forget us!” The Senshi raced in, clustering around their leader. Kunzite appeared by Venus, their fingers twining for a moment before he turned his attention to the enemy. 

 

Wiseman chuckled. “It does not matter now. Black Lady has reached the peak of her power and will open the Black Gate. Destruction is already upon you.”

 

He vanished, leaving them in stunned silence. Finally, Sailor Moon gestured at Demando. Tuxedo Kamen peeled back the bloody bandages to examine the wound. He winced and closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I can’t heal this,” he said quietly. “Not when there’s something more important we have to do. I’m sorry.”

 

“Mercury?” she rasped. 

 

The blue-haired girl shook her head. “My power is new. If Tuxedo Kamen-sama can’t help, there’s nothing I can do.”

 

“How long does he have?” Jupiter asked. 

 

“Not long,” the hero replied. “Maybe a few minutes. I’m surprised he isn’t already gone.”

 

“Can we stop Black Lady fast enough for him to have a chance?” Sailor Moon begged. “There has to be something. He saved my life. He wanted to protect me.”

 

“Usako,” Tuxedo Kamen said, “Wiseman always intended to kill him once he had what he wanted. Demando only chose the time and place.”

 

She clutched her soulmate’s arm. “There has to be something.  _ Anything _ .”

 

“It might be kinder to let go,” Mars said. “He must be in pain, and he’s accepted it. His spirit will rest peacefully.”

 

“No,” Sailor Moon denied. “No, he can’t – What will we do if he’s gone? Saphir and Esmeraude need him. Their clan needs him.”

 

Tuxedo Kamen framed her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. “There’s nothing Mercury and I can do right now. I’m sorry.”

 

“No. Mamo-chan, there has to be something.” She was trembling. “I can’t take it. I can’t have another death on my conscience. He did it for me. People keep dying for me. I –”

 

“Shh,” he breathed. “Usako, listen to me. You can’t think about it now. We need to protect Chibiusa and stop Wiseman. She needs you. You saved me; you can save her. I know where the Black Gate is. She’ll be there.”

 

The Moon Senshi finally pulled herself together. “Okay. Let’s go. I… I’ll try to help Chibiusa.” They sped away, but she spared a last lingering look for Demando’s still form.

 

88888888

 

_ Are you giving up, prince? _

 

_ No, _ he thought, opening his eyes, _ but there is nothing left for me to do. I am dying. _

 

_ You are close to the end, it is true, but that attack spared a single spark of your life. I am Death, but I protected that spark, one you would have extinguished for her. Now you can choose. _

 

_ Choose what? _ Demando wondered.  _ There is no one who can help me now. They have to defeat Wiseman, and I will be gone before they return. _

 

_ You must not yield so easily. Choose, prince. Life or death. Do you wish to rest eternally, or would you continue your task? There is still much you can accomplish. _

 

He closed his eyes once more.  _ I passed the torch to her. She will do what must be done. _

 

_ The clan does not wish to follow she who exiled them. You must realize that.  _

 

_ They will see that she had a reason. Saphir will show them the truth. _ He had to believe that. There was little else for him to have faith in.

 

_ Your people have little love for Saphir. They think him weak for his unwillingness to fight. He refused to stand, to bleed with them. They need you, prince.  _

 

_ What can I do? I do not have the power to heal myself. The wounds are too deep. _

 

_ Just be strong. As long as you are willing to fight, I will not take you to your end. _

 

_ You are Death. If you are here, I must already be gone. _

 

_ Not yet, _ the voice laughed.  _ I come when death nears. I ask you to choose because it is my duty. You saved her; I decided to spare you. I will hold you until they heal your injuries. Rest, prince, but cling to that spark. If you allow it to go out, there will be nothing I can do. _

 

_ I will, _ he promised.  _ But tell me, what spark is this? _

 

_ What else could it be but love? _

 

88888888

 

They found the gate. It was at the top of the spire, crackling with negative energy. An evil maelstrom formed overhead. And there was Black Lady. Hovering above the platform, she was alive with power. A sneer quirked her lips as she gazed at her former allies. 

 

“The Black Gate is about to open,” she stated. “Everything will end in the name of the Death Phantom. There is nothing you can do to stop it.”

 

“Chibiusa-chan, please!” Sailor Moon called. “Whatever happened, we can fix it. Give us a chance! Just tell me what’s wrong!” 

 

“Why? So you can attack me again?” The woman shook her head. “You were supposed to love me but here you are, ready to team up on me.”

 

The blonde’s face hardened. “So I won’t fight.” She ripped off her brooch, shattering her transformation. “It’s me, Chibiusa. You cried in my arms. You trusted me when you were alone and frightened. You were willing to stay with me when I was sick.”

 

Black Lady hesitated. “I trusted you then, but you left me alone!”

 

“I did what it took to keep you safe. Besides, you were never alone. The girls were with you, and Tuxedo Kamen-sama and Kunzite. You were with people who love you.”

 

“You left me! You were gone and wouldn’t answer when I called! I was sent to this time with no one but Luna-P to be my friend!”

 

Tuxedo Kamen followed his girlfriend’s lead, returning to his civilian form. “You must have been scared. We understand. We’re here now.”

 

The black mark on her forehead flickered. “Mama? Papa?”

 

“We’re here, Chibiusa-chan,” Usagi repeated. 

 

She jerked back. “No! You’re trying to trick me!” Black energy crashed over them, Usagi and Mamoru surviving only because Kunzite threw up a shield moments before it hit. “You want to use me and then you’ll leave again!”

 

“Listen to me!” Usagi shouted. “We’d never use you! We don’t want to leave you! I’m sorry you were hurt when I was gone, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. Sometimes we have to leave people we love! It doesn’t make us love you less!”

 

“We love you,” Mamoru said. “We came together because of you. Knowing about you kept Usako strong enough to keep fighting. Your parents love you.”

 

Black Lady covered her face. “You’re lying! You’ll leave me again!”

 

“Even if I’m not with you physically, you’re always in my heart,” her future mother said. “Even a thousand years from now, I know Neo Queen Serenity loves you.”

 

A ghostly form appeared between the Lunar royals – the queen Usagi would be someday. “Oh, my precious Small Lady. What have they done to you, baby?”

 

“Mama?” 

 

“I’m always here. My poor girl, come back. Don’t hurt your friends anymore.”

 

She shook her head. “I have no friends. No one loves me!”

 

The spirit of Neo Queen Serenity hovered just in front of Usagi, their features blending together. “We love you.” And the queen vanished again.

 

“Mama… Mama, don’t go!”

 

“Black Lady!”

 

“Wiseman!” Usagi hissed. “Stay away from her. Don’t touch her!”

 

“Black Lady, are you forgetting the cruelty of your absent parents? How alone you were? Unloved, abandoned, with no one in the world?” Wiseman’s eyes glowed. “Will you let them hurt you again?”

 

“No, I won’t be hurt again. I can’t trust them.”

 

The storm overhead fell around them, isolating Usagi and Mamoru with Black Lady and Wiseman. They weren’t transformed and thus were vulnerable. Usagi winced as the darkness dug into her, but she met her daughter’s eyes. “Get out of here!” she ordered desperately. “This much power could kill you!”

 

Black Lady laughed. “I am opening the Black Gate. I expect to die! What about you?”

 

“We won’t leave you,” Mamoru answered. He held Usagi close, ready to protect her regardless of the cost. “Not like this. If you open the Black Gate, we’ll die, but at least we’re with you. You’re more important than we are, Chibiusa. We’ll always put your life before ours.”

 

“…Papa?”

 

“I’m here, Chibiusa.”

 

“Mama?”

 

“Right here. Always.”

 

“Mama!” The dark column burst as Usagi and Mamoru drifted to the ground. Chibiusa was in her mother’s arms, a little girl once more. The others cheered in relief. 

 

“She’s all right,” she whispered. “Mamo-chan, she’s okay.”

 

“You did it,” he said with a smile.

 

Usagi froze. “Wiseman.”

 

The magician reappeared, laughing demonically. “Though I have lost Black Lady, the Black Gate has already been opened.”

 

“What?” Mamoru demanded as he shifted back to Tuxedo Kamen. 

 

“The energy from the Evil Black Crystal should arrive at any moment. The time for destruction has arrived. The world will be ruined.”

 

Chibiusa hid behind her parents. Usagi quickly transformed as the Senshi got to their feet, ready for battle. 

 

“The destruction of Earth?” Mars said.

 

Wiseman laughed, raising his crystal globe over his head. “You will all die, along with the rest of this world!”

 

A bolt of energy crashed into the companions. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen sheltered their child as Kunzite protected Venus from the brunt of the attack. Tuxedo Kamen winced as he felt the darkness seeping into the Earth. “If we don’t stop him, the planet won’t survive!”

 

“I won’t let that happen!” Pure silver light filled the area as Sailor Moon levered herself up. She was exhausted – her emotions were drained from her confrontations with Demando and Black Lady. She was still healing too, trying to recover from everything that had happened over the past few weeks. Regardless, it was what she needed to do. The attack broke. 

 

“What?!” Wiseman gaped.

 

“This beautiful world, my friends… They won’t end up like Demando.” She lifted her burning gaze to him. “I’ll stop you!”

 

“You’re too weak! You can’t use the Silver Crystal!” Mars shouted. Her other friends screamed her name, begging her not to do it.

 

“Usako…” Tuxedo Kamen whispered, awed by her strength and terrified that she’d destroy herself to save them.

 

“The Silver Crystal’s power is nothing!” 

 

A second bolt hit, hiding the Moon Senshi. It shattered moments later. Neo Queen Serenity stood in her place, Silver Crystal in hand. Her eyes opened and she lifted the gem. 

 

Wiseman did not idle. As the queen prepared an attack he readied his, energy pooling in the orb she now realized controlled of the Evil Black Crystal. His power couldn’t touch her through the Silver Crystal’s protective light, but it was punishing nonetheless. The strain dug in, arms bending back as she fought to hold the gem in place. It was so much, _so_ _much_ for a girl who’d suffered trauma after trauma with no chance to heal. 

 

“Now that the Black Gate has opened…” Wiseman drawled. He didn’t finish the ominous statement, but they understood. He was powerful, more so than they’d suspected.  _ He _ was the Death Phantom, not just a servant.

 

Chibiusa stared, at once frightened and proud. It was her mother fighting so bravely, but she was in danger. She couldn’t win alone. “It’s my fault!”

 

“Chibiusa-chan,” Tuxedo Kamen said as the little girl grasped his vest. 

 

“Because of me, everyone… Usagi!” she cried. It was like a look back in time. A single tear fell and sparked, incandescent silver. Then there was a crystal in her hands, all but identical to the one in her mother’s. “What’s this? That time I took it… The Silver Crystal went into my body!” She got to her feet. “Mamo-chan, I’ll protect everyone with this Silver Crystal!”

 

“If you use the crystal…” He trailed off, unwilling to consider the consequences. He was already terrified enough for Usagi’s sake without having to fear for their child too. 

 

“Everyone put their lives on the line for me. I need to return the favor.”

 

“You’re wasting your time!” Wiseman shouted. His power was growing, and Neo Queen Serenity wavered under the pressure.

 

In response, Chibiusa held her Silver Crystal overhead. Its energy flared. “Please, Silver Crystal, give me the power to protect everyone!” In its light, her school uniform faded and was replaced with a pink gown. Her crescent glowed. 

 

“What?! Two Silver Crystals?!”

 

“Chibiusa!” Neo Queen Serenity cried. 

 

“The power to protect!” the little princess repeated, throwing her magic against Wiseman with her mother’s. The Senshi added theirs to the mix, first in their colors, then a white wave. It joined the magic pouring through the crystals. Tuxedo Kamen and Kunzite burned with Earth’s gold, adding their strength. 

 

“MOON CRYSTAL POWER!” the royals cried together.

 

“I am the Death Phantom! I will not be defeated!”

 

“Evil power,” the queen called. 

 

“Be gone!” her daughter shouted. 

 

“My Black Gate! I… will… not…”

 

The pure white of their combined energy rushed Wiseman before travelling through him to attack his crystal. It burst into countless fragments. The threat of Nemesis was gone.

 

88888888

 

They were floating. Just… floating. It was soft and warm. 

 

“Do you think we’re dead?” Sailor Moon wondered. There was no worry or sadness in her tone. “But if we saved everyone, it was worth it, right, Chibiusa?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

_ You’re not dead. Your wish to save each other brought about a miracle.  _

 

“Mama!”

 

_ Now everyone is waiting. Go back.  _

 

88888888

 

“Usako! Usako!”

 

She blinked, focusing on that much-loved face and realizing she was lying in familiar arms. “Mamo-chan.”

 

“You’re all right!”

 

“Everyone!” The Senshi let out laughs of relief as they watched. She was alive. For a few frightening moments, they’d been afraid it was Beryl all over, that she’d died to save the world. But there she was, miraculously unharmed. “Chibiusa!”

 

The girl had been in Rei’s lap, motionless, but Sailor Moon’s voice was almost a cue. Her nose scrunched as she woke up. “Everyone…”

 

“I’m so glad. Chibiusa…” Sailor Moon cried.

 

Tuxedo Kamen focused. “The Black Crystal is diminishing. The people who were in it are in the park. The Earth is healing.”

 

“In it? Oh Selene, Demando. Is he all right? Is he alive?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“We should find out,” Mercury suggested. “If he’s alive, there may be something we can do for him. If he’s dead…”

 

“Either way, we need to move,” Jupiter contributed. 

 

“Let’s go,” Sailor Moon urged.

 

“How do we get down?” Venus asked. The Black Crystal had dissolved so far that only the platform they were on remained. There’d be no exiting the way they came.

 

“Teleport,” Mars said. “If you can, Usagi.”

 

“I think,” Kunzite said, “under current circumstances it is best for Sailor Moon to not further expend her energy. It is miraculous that using the Silver Crystal did not kill her, but it is unwise to tempt fate. I will carry everyone to the clearing if you are patient.”

 

“Do you have enough strength?” Venus worried.

 

His head turned to her in acknowledgement. “I will admit to some weariness, but it was not I who fought this battle. My contribution was slight in comparison.”

 

“Take Tuxedo Kamen-sama and Mercury-chan,” the Moon Senshi ordered. “They can try to heal Demando, right?”

 

Tuxedo Kamen frowned at his girlfriend. “After all he’s done –”

 

She faced him. “He loves me, Mamo-chan. That’s what drove him to this. He loves me and never had a chance. I can’t just let him die, not when it was my fault.”

 

“Fine,” he acquiesced with a sigh. “I don’t know how much Mercury and I can do, but if he’s still alive we’ll try.”

 

Kunzite grasped their shoulders and they vanished. Moments later he reappeared. “Mars, Jupiter,” he said. The Senshi hurried to him before they disappeared as well. He materialized once more. Venus helped Sailor Moon to her feet before taking his hand. Sailor Moon lifted Chibiusa as Kunzite took her arm. Venus latched onto his other side. An instant later they were in their clearing. Chibiusa jumped from Sailor Moon’s arms as the blonde looked for Demando.

 

He was lying on the grass beneath an old oak. His blood-drenched jacket had been tossed aside, and the white shirt underneath was recognizable as such only near the collar. Tuxedo Kamen was kneeling at his side, hands glowing, as Mercury did the same. Blue and gold rushed over the wounds in his abdomen, but their expressions were not encouraging.

 

“We don’t know how he’s survived this long,” Jupiter told her leader. “Everyone else who was in the crystal died; their bodies are in the main yard. Mercury said Demando should have died within moments of us leaving, but he’s managed to hold on so far. It’s almost like something is fighting to keep him alive.”

 

“Has Mercury found anything?” Venus asked.

 

“Apparently some bit of him survived and the rest was in a language she didn’t know.”

 

Sailor Moon frowned. “I’ll take a look.” She hurried to the others and Mercury passed the computer to her without question. She scanned the columns of characters, eyes widening with every word. “V-chan, get over here.”

 

Venus studied it. “It’s a love-thread. He’s still alive because that last spark is love and the person he loves is alive too. Usagi…”

 

“Nurture it,” she ordered.

 

“Are you sure? If I do anything he’ll never stop loving you.”   
  


“Venus, I can’t take it if someone else dies for me. Help him. Besides,” she added with a sad smile, “he’s loved me since the Silver Millennium. He won’t stop now.”

 

The other golden Senshi quit arguing. She blinked, and when her eyes reopened she was looking into magic. Her hands went to his heart, turning orange against his skin. The wounds slowly knit. Though the Evil Black Crystal had been destroyed, darkness lingered. Sailor Moon frowned at the black earrings the prince wore. She snatched them, wincing as they burned her hands, then stomped on them until they shattered. 

 

“Purification progressing,” Mercury reported. Her gaze darted for a moment to the Moon Senshi. “It looks like he’ll pull through.”

 

Kunzite acted as a conduit, drawing power from the recovering planet to Tuxedo Kamen. Venus maintained the thread as others reformed. Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen continued to labor over the wounds, leaving the others to watch and wait.

 

88888888

 

It was moonrise when they finished. Demando’s wounds mended and his natural vigor returned quickly. He separated himself from the others, sitting at the edge of the clearing. Aside from the blood, it was hard to tell he’d been on the very brink of death. 

 

Everyone powered down in the safety of the clearing’s protective barriers. It didn’t matter if he knew who they were; Nemesis had no power to oppose them and Demando would not risk Usagi’s safety. Usagi and Mamoru fussed over Chibiusa as Minako curled into Kunzite’s arms. The other girls watched, wanting what they had, but they were content to talk amongst themselves. Finally, Usagi joined Demando.

 

“Does it still hurt?” He shook his head silently, so she tried again. “Are you all right?” A nod was her only response. She frowned. “Talk to me. Please.”

 

His blue-violet eyes drifted to her cerulean before he looked away. “I think not.”

 

“Demando, if you’re angry over what I’ve done, say it. I won’t be offended.”

 

“Angry?” he repeated, mystified. “Why should I be angry?”

 

“I – Venus had to – There was no choice. That was what it took to save you.”

 

The white prince shook his head. “I am not troubled by that. What she touched would not have died. I only wonder why you did it. It would have been easier for you had I not survived.”

 

“That’s not true.” She sat on the grass next to him, leaning against the tree. “I’ve already lost people. During the Silver Millennium my entire world was destroyed because I was too weak. Against the Dark Kingdom in this time, the Shitennou died because I couldn’t save them. The girls sacrificed themselves. I couldn’t handle another death on my conscience.”

 

“I would not have died by your hand.”

 

“You were hurt for me,” Usagi said simply. 

 

“It was my decision.” He looked at her again. “Could you ever have loved me? If you had not met Endymion, would you have been able to care for me?”

 

Another voice cut in before she could answer. “Usako.”

 

“Mamo-chan?” she asked, glancing at him. “What’s wrong?”

 

He caressed her hair as she joined him. “Nothing. I just want to talk to him.”

 

The petite teen frowned. “You’re not going to fight, are you?”

 

“No, I just want to talk. Promise.”

 

She nodded and rejoined the other girls. They were playing a game with Chibiusa, though Minako was still sitting in Kunzite’s lap. 

 

“There is little to discuss, Endymion,” Demando stated, not deigning to face the other prince. “It is over.”

 

“You hurt her.”

 

“As have you. You are in no position to judge me.”

 

“I never tried to kill her.”

 

“You did, actually. This time you almost succeeded.”

 

Mamoru growled. “Because you sent those dreams. This was  _ your _ fault.”

 

“Do not be a fool. I did not force you to listen to the dreams; you chose to push her away. I never thought you would, though I was willing to accept the benefits.”

 

“You don’t get it, do you?” he asked. “If you’d succeeded in tying her to you, she would have died. She can’t survive that sort of darkness.”

 

“She would have adapted. Her daughter did.”

 

“ _ Our _ daughter. Not yours.”

 

“I know whose child she is,” Demando said, traces of fiery anger running through his otherwise flat tone. 

 

“If you loved her like you say you do, you wouldn’t have done that to her.”

 

“You would not understand.”

 

“Try me,” Mamoru ordered through gritted teeth.

 

His temper flared. “You  _ cannot _ understand. You have not been unseen while she dotes on another man. I will admit my mistakes; I will say I should not have acted as I did. It does not ease the pain of loving her and knowing she will never feel the same.”

 

“That’s enough,” Usagi interrupted. “Chibiusa-chan needs rest. We should go home.”

 

Demando inclined his head, his cool exterior back in place. “With your permission, I will take my brother and the Spectre sisters back to our time. I do not think it is wise for us to linger.”

 

“I don’t know if Saphir is strong enough to travel yet.”

 

“I have power enough to ascertain his well-being.”

 

“Do you need to use Chibiusa-chan’s Time Key?” she asked.

 

“No, thank you. I can open the way to the Door. Whether Sailor Pluto will allow us to pass is a separate issue, though I think she will heed your wishes. Thank you for what you have done for my clan and I. Might I request to be taken to my brother?”

 

“Nii-san!”

 

The prince quickly got to his feet. “Saphir!”

 

The younger man was leaning on Petz’s shoulder, her sisters arrayed behind them. “You survived. I am so glad to see you.”

 

Demando hurried over, brushing strands of his brother’s blue hair back, searching for injuries, then pulled him into a tight hug. “You are alive. Serenity told me as much, but part of me would not believe it until you were here. I should have listened when you warned me about Wiseman. I am so sorry, Saphir.”

 

Saphir shook his head, latching on just as tightly. “He fooled everyone.”

 

“I had Ami-chan call them once we knew you’d be all right,” Usagi told him with a tired smile. “I thought you’d want to see your little brother as soon as possible.”

 

“Thank you,” Demando said, tongue thick and uncooperative in his mouth. He’d never been given a more precious gift. 

 

“You should go. The clan’s waiting.” She held out their rings. “Esmeraude too.”

 

“Esmeraude?” the white prince repeated.

 

“She’s in the Crystal Palace waiting for you to come home.”

 

He accepted his ring, shocked. “How? We saw her die.”

 

The girl shook her head. “I pulled her back.”

 

Saphir smiled. “You are a miracle to have rescued all of us.”

 

“Not all.” Usagi forced thoughts of Rubeus away. “You should go home. Rebuild your lives. I’m sure Neo Queen Serenity will let you return to Earth if you want to.”

 

“Even us?” Koan asked.

 

“Even you,” Rei agreed as everyone else joined them. The others nodded.

 

“You belong with Saphir,” Usagi told Petz, “and your sisters belong with you. If he goes, all of you should too.”

 

“I – I don’t know what to say,” the older woman stammered. 

 

“Don’t,” Mamoru suggested. “Go. And be happy.”

 

Demando looked over the women. “I will not force you to return, nor will you be at risk of punishment for your actions. You are free to make your own decisions.”

 

“Petz?” Saphir asked.

 

Her eyes closed for a moment before she looked up at him. “I’ll go.”

 

“If you go, we go too,” Calaveras said. Koan and Berthier nodded. 

 

“So be it,” the prince stated. He waved one hand. A portal appeared. “This will lead us to the Time Door. After that we are at the mercy of its keeper. I cannot guarantee she will be kind.”

 

“Tell her it was my choice,” Usagi said. “Pluto will understand.”

 

One by one, the sisters stepped through. Saphir continued to lean against Petz as they walked into Time’s domain. Demando looked over at the heroes. “I do not think we will meet again until you reach my time. May you live a long and happy life, Serenity. I cannot thank you enough for what you have given me.” He turned to take his leave.

 

“Demando! I never answered your question.”

 

The white prince shook his head. “There is no need. It was wrong of me to ask.”

 

“Yes.” At his blank look, she kept going. “It could’ve happened. I’m sorry you were hurt because it didn’t.”

 

A sad chuckle escaped him. “I – Goodbye, Serenity.”

 

“Goodbye,” she whispered. Tears fell, trailing down her cheeks. Mamoru brushed them away as the portal disappeared. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Shh…” her boyfriend soothed. “It’s all right, Usako. He has a chance at a real life now. You shouldn’t cry.”

 

“Just because he’ll always love you doesn’t mean you’ll be the only one,” Mina said. “He can make space in his heart for someone else.”

 

“I could have loved him though,” she said through her tears. “I’m sorry, Mamo-chan, but… if there hadn’t been you… I could’ve loved him.”

 

“I understand,” he assured her. 

 

Chibiusa ran to her parents and they encircled her. Her little hand brushed Usagi’s moist cheeks. “Don’t cry!”

 

She laughed as the tears continued. “Don’t mind me; I’m just confused. You’re going to leave me now too, aren’t you?”

 

“Not yet,” Mamoru interrupted. “You can stay a little longer, right, Chibiusa-chan?” He wrapped his arms around his two favorite girls. “There’s still one thing left.”

 

88888888

 

It was a beautiful night. The full moon seemed to be right overhead, so close they could touch it. Elysion, though a husk of its former self, remained glorious at the temple. The Senshi played with Chibiusa as Mamoru and Kunzite spoke to Helios nearby. Usagi was sitting on the steps watching. 

 

“Are you ready?” Mamoru asked her. 

 

Everyone was dressed up. Kunzite and Mamoru had donned tuxedos. Mina had chosen a swirling lacy concoction of gold. Rei wore siren red, sleek and daring. Makoto opted for a green column saved from plainness by a spray of lighter leaves at the edge of the skirt. Ami’s gown was the ocean, the silk changing shades with the light. Chibiusa was dressed in pink flowers. Usagi wore white – not a wedding gown, but similar. It was the promise of a bride. Her spaghetti strap dress fell to her knees and was unadorned, her hair loose except for two clips on either side. 

 

Helios stood in the center of the field and gestured for the couple to join him. The others formed a ring around them. “This is not a true ceremony,” the priest said. “There are no special words, no rituals. This is a renewal of a promise and a request for forgiveness, a mending of that which is broken. Through your atonement, your bond can be made anew.”

 

Mamoru faced his soulmate. “I need to apologize for so many things – for not trusting you with the truth, for not seeing your pain until it was too late. It killed me to watch you suffer, Usako. I’m sorry, sorrier than I could ever say. I don’t know if it’s enough or if I deserve your forgiveness, but I can’t be without you.”

 

“You weren’t entirely to blame,” Usagi answered. “I kept my secrets when I shouldn’t have. You have my forgiveness if you can accept my apology too.”

 

“You don’t even have to ask.”

 

A single beam of moonlight fell on them and in a flash they were the prince and princess.

 

“Your bond was first formed between your past selves, and it brought your souls together again. In their guises it is renewed.” Venus’ power wasn’t necessary. They all saw the red cord linking the lovers, strong and healthy. Helios smiled. “Forged by love and tempered by hardship, yours is a tie that will not easily break. Go forth without fear, friends, knowing it will not fail.”


End file.
